Convoy of Hope launched its 50-state community outreach tour, ‘The Convoy of Hope’, in Dallas, Texas, providing the less fortunate in the area with free meals, new shoes, haircuts, groceries and health screenings.
“This is a time when a moment turns into a movement,” says Ron Showers, community outreach director for Convoy of Hope, as he greeted the more than 1,200 volunteers at the outreach. “This is only the first stop that will take us to communities in all 50 states in the next two years.”
Father of four, Ricardo, borrowed gas money to bring his family to the outreach. His wallet is empty and his wife is expecting their fifth child in two weeks. Ricardo has a small tear tattooed under his right eye, but real tears swell in his eyes as he talks about the help his family is receiving through Convoy of Hope and its supporters.
“I’m so thankful for all of these people who are here to help my family,” says Ricardo as his voice trembles. “My sons have new shoes on their feet! There’s a lot of people like my family that need this kind of support.”
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Pamela, 47, made her way to the large pink and white tent to take advantage of free screenings provided by the National Breast Cancer Foundation. “This is going to bring me peace of mind,” she says. “I want to know that I am healthy.” Pamela had a biopsy on a benign tumor in 2009 and with no health insurance in the years since; she had never received a follow up screening.
“Stories like Pamela’s and Ricardo’s are exactly why this tour is so important to us,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “We know there are so many Americans who can’t find a job, have a hard time putting food on the table and have no access to basic health screenings. I hope we gave families in Texas some optimism for a better future.”
‘The Convoy of Hope’ will make its second stop in Joplin, Mo., on May 26 to reach residents there who are still recovering from a deadly tornado that struck the town on May 22, 2011.
Click here for the most updated ‘The Convoy of Hope’ tour schedule.
Along the Caribbean coast of Honduras sits Puerto Cortes, a port city, where poverty and hunger is everywhere. But at a small church, just yards from the Caribbean Sea, an industrious group of hardworking mothers are bent on giving local children a better life.
In a spotless kitchen at the back of the church a woman dices garlic, onions and other vegetables on a cutting board; another woman scrubs countertops and prepares plates while two others tend to vats of food on the stovetop. The women chat and laugh as they work, but ask about the food and suddenly everyone gets serious.
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“We’re cooking with love for our children,” says one of the women. “The kitchen has to be clean and the food has to be good.”
The payoff is seen on the faces of the 150 children who eat here three times a week. At lunchtime, the children gather around tiny plastic tables in the church’s sanctuary and are served restaurant style.
“By helping in the kitchen I am fulfilling my duties as a mother,” says Carla, a single mom. “Sometimes we don’t have enough food at home and I am given Convoy of Hope food to take home. It’s nice knowing I at least have something I can depend on. I’m so grateful.
Volunteers like Carla have inspired other single moms in the community. *Vanessa, used to be a prostitute, but after enrolling her children in the feeding program she decided to sell bread and fish instead of herself. “Things I once thought were impossible I am now doing,” she says demurely. “I used to not love my children ... but now I love and protect them because I’m determined that they have a good life.
Vanessa has experienced the life-transforming power of a good trade thanks to Convoy of Hope and its supporters.
Convoy of Hope is shipping 400,000 meals to the African countries of Burkina Faso and Niger in the Sahel region, where millions of people are facing deadly famine and drought.
“This is part of our plan to feed as many starving people as we can in the Sahel,” says Kary Kingsland, senior vice president for global initiatives at Convoy of Hope. “Our assessment team recently returned from the region and their report left us with no doubt that we needed to help.”
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Empty fields dot the dry, arid landscape that spreads across eight countries in the Sahel. Chris Dudley, cultural services director for Convoy of Hope, was part of the assessment team that just returned from Burkina Faso and Niger. He says the pain and suffering was evident in the eyes of children.
“There was a family that brought their infant twins to show us how malnourished they were,” says Dudley. “They were so weak that their bodies lay limp and they could barely hold their heads up.”
The twins used to be part of a set of triplets before the famine took the life of their sibling. According to Dudley, one local leader reported that most villagers are lucky to eat one meal a day.
“The situation in the Sahel is dire,” says Paul Coroleuski, disaster response field services director for Convoy of Hope, who was part of the assessment team. “This is a slow moving disaster that is getting worse by the day. We need all the help we can get to help these people in their time of need.”
The number of Americans living in poverty is at its highest level in 51 years with 17.4 million households reporting a struggle to put enough food on the table. In addition, some 49.9 million Americans are without health insurance.
“In this economy there are so many new faces of poverty - people who never thought they would need help,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “Because of those needs, we are launching The Convoy of Hope, a 50-state tour uniting communities to provide local, lasting solutions to neighbors in need.”
Kicking off May 12 in Dallas, this unprecedented $50 million, two-year tour is uniting local businesses, non-profits, churches, medical communities and government agencies to provide a “poverty-free” day to neighbors battling long-time or first-time poverty. At each stop, The Convoy of Hope will provide an average $1 million of goods and services in a single day to people in poverty. Unique to this effort is the neighbors-helping-neighbors approach to providing immediate and long-term community solutions to poverty that will last long after The Convoy of Hope trucks roll onto the next city.
“Most people come for the food, but we know that poverty impacts every facet of life,” says Donaldson, who himself grew up poor after a family tragedy. “That’s why we work with communities up to a year in advance of an outreach event to offer job, housing and medical assistance, clothing, haircuts, family portraits and even a carnival for the children. We treat those in need as ‘honored guests’ in a festive atmosphere of hope.”
The tour will include on-site medical services, including dental and breast cancer screenings in select cities, will be among the most critical services provided since one-sixth of the U.S. population is uninsured.
At just seven-years-old, *Pedro has already had a hard life. He’s small for his age, rarely makes eye contact with others and has the countenance of a boy who is very familiar with hardship. Pedro is one of 100 children Convoy of Hope feeds every school day in a tiny village in Honduras — a remarkable number considering there are only a few hundred people in this rural area.
“He spends most of his time here at school now,” says Irma de Medina, the director of the program. “Before he came into the program a few months ago he was malnourished, drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes.”
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To get him into Convoy of Hope’s feeding program — and ultimately school — Medina relied on bartering. “I traded him snacks for cigarettes at the gates of our school,” she says.
Since Pedro enrolled, he and older brother, Miguel, have gained weight and are learning to read and do math. They’re also learning how it feels to be cared for and loved. “I like the school and the food,” offers Miguel. “It gives me energy.”
Convoy of Hope now feeds more than 3,300 children in Honduras on a daily basis and more than 120,000 in seven countries.
*Name has been changed.
After volunteering at a Convoy of Hope community outreach, Brooke Prahl, 17, took her passion to serve and masterminded her own outreach.
In August, Prahl’s New London, Wis. community will provide help and hope to hundreds of low-income families, senior citizens, single mothers and those with physical disabilities through Prahl’s outreach, Mission of Hope.
Prahl believes Mission of Hope will be a catalyst for ongoing community service. “I volunteered with Convoy of Hope and it inspired me to make a difference,” says Prahl. “There were people who were in need that I didn’t see before and now I see them. If it wasn’t for Convoy of Hope, I wouldn’t have had this vision.”
Learn more about Convoy of Hope’s 50-State Outreach Tour.
“Brooke’s efforts to organize her own community outreach event in her area is one of the reasons Convoy of Hope exists,” says Ron Showers, community outreach director for Convoy of Hope. “By helping people, we also hope to inspire others to do the same.”
Like Convoy of Hope, Prahl’s outreach will feature areas of service such as family portraits, a food tent, free groceries, haircuts, health services, a job fair, a kids zone and a prayer tent.
By: Rachel Collins
2012 has brought big changes for the 32 children at Redeemer’s House orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The children, along with directors Julie and Franceline are now living in bigger, more efficient facility.
“This move has made such a big difference,” says Franceline. “We have better bathrooms, a bigger yard, bigger classrooms and every child has his or her own bed.”
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At the former facility, children crowded into small classrooms—one outside, sheltered only by the shade of a palm tree.
“My dream is to be able to help over 100 kids through this new orphanage,” says Julie. “In the months ahead we will be taking in more children to feed, house and provide a good education.”
Because of the generosity of Convoy of Hope’s friends, the organization is able to provide 80 percent of the funding to support Redeemer’s House.
Abandoned by the rain
Convoy of Hope’s Global Disaster Response Team is on the ground in the drought-stricken Sahel region of Africa to determine how Convoy of Hope can provide relief efforts there.
“We’ve been monitoring the crisis in the Sahel region for some time and the drought conditions there continue to worsen for millions of people,” says Karen Benson, global disaster response director for Convoy of Hope. “With a team in place there, we hope to gain a better understanding of the situation and determine where Convoy of Hope can be of most help.”
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The team recently spent one week in Burkina Faso and met with local leaders and officials who reported that the recent drought and famine is affecting the lives of the nationals there as well as 250,000 refugees in this Sub-Saharan region.
“We have been abandoned by the rain,” said a villager, expressing the need for help.
Millions of people lack adequate water supplies in the Sahel, where the earth is scorched and the temperature sometimes soars above 120 degrees. One million children are at risk of severe malnutrition. In the past, droughts and famines in this region have killed nearly 200,000 people.
“We’ve provided funds to purchase millet, rice, powdered milk and water carts for a Malian Tuareg refugee camp in Burkina Faso,” says Chris Dudley, a member of Convoy of Hope’s team in the Sahel. “Twenty Sawyer water filters were also distributed.”
The team will also spend one week in Niger assessing the area and meeting with local leaders to determine what needs to take place to further the relief efforts in that region.
Convoy of Hope is partnering with a number of businesses and organizations to hold the 2nd annual Restore Fest in Joplin, Mo., on May 26. Restore Fest 2012 will include musical acts to celebrate restoration and growth in the Joplin community.
“Restore Fest 2012 is a chance for us to bring the people of Joplin together and at the same time, help them in their continued recovery efforts,” says Jeff Roman, partner relations director for Convoy of Hope.
The two-day concert is part of the The Convoy of Hope 50-state community outreach tour that will stop in Joplin on May 26. Volunteers will provide thousands of people with services such as free groceries, hot meals, haircuts, health & job fairs and many activities for children.
The city of Joplin has declared May 26 as ‘Convoy of Hope Day’ to recognize the organizations effort to provide assistance to its citizens and they continue to recover from the May 2011 tornado.
“We’ve been with the city of Joplin since just hours after the tornado and we’re honored to be there as the city recognizes the storm’s one year anniversary,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. Restore Fest 2012 tickets can be purchased online at www.restorefest.org. Proceeds benefit Convoy of Hope. The site also provides complete concert line-up and event information. Featured artists include Jeremy Camp and Mandisa.
Both Restore Fest and The Convoy of Hope community outreach will be held at Joplin’s Landreth Park.
At Faro Ninos Para Cristo Boy’s Home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, two-year-old Moses quickly laps up spoonfuls of hot soup at lunchtime. The other 27 boys at the home are also focused on their hot meal provided by Convoy of Hope, but Moses’ tiny frame seems to set him apart from the others.
“While I consider all of these boys my own, Moses is special,” says Margarita Alvares, the home’s director. “His short life has been a hard one.”
Moses’ biological mother had Parkinson’s disease and drank heavily while she was pregnant with Moses. He was born prematurely and at near death, he was brought to the boy’s home at nine days old.
“He almost didn’t make it,” says Margarita. “He only weighed three pounds and had severe hypothermia but thanks to Convoy of Hope, we were able to feed him and nurture him into a healthy boy.”
At five-months-old, Moses was still weak but was finally up to his normal baby weight and healed from infections.
“We’re feeding 3,000 children a day in the Dominican Republic,” says David Edson, Caribbean regional coordinator for Convoy of Hope. “It’s stories like Moses’ that keeps us motivated to expand our feeding programs here and around the world. We’re thankful to all who support us in these efforts.”
As the boys gather in the courtyard after lunch, Moses stays close to his mother. Margarita smiles as she looks at him. “He has given me the real gift of motherhood,” she says.
Convoy of Hope’s Disaster Response team has been monitoring a large Midwest tornado outbreak that has affected a number of states and is helping with debris clean up in the hard-hit rural town of Thurman, Iowa.
“Our assessment teams met with Thurman city officials and determined that the biggest need was debris clean up,” says Karen Benson, global disaster response director for Convoy of Hope. “We’re hoping to provide whatever help we can in Thurman.”
The majority of the tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa.
IMAX filmmaker and storm chaser Sean Casey recently made an appearance with his Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) in Branson, Mo., and donated all of the proceeds from showings of his IMAX film, Tornado Alley, to Convoy of Hope.
“It’s nice to team up with Convoy of Hope, an organization that’s helping people get through these disasters,” says Casey, standing in front his heavily fortified TIV. “The funds that we raise here with this event are going to directly benefit people that are affected by natural disasters. It’s a great thing.”
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Casey starred on the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers reality series and spent eight years filming tornadoes for Tornado Alley. His appearance came just days after a tornado hit Kimberling City and Branson, destroying a number of homes and businesses.
“It’ll take as much as a year to rebuild some of the local businesses that have been hit by the storm,” says Randy Brashers, vice president of operations and administration at IMAX. “We’re glad to partner with Convoy of Hope and this is a great opportunity for us to give back to the community.”
For the ninth straight year, Convoy of Hope has been awarded the coveted Charity Navigator Four Star Award for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.
“We’re honored that Charity Navigator recognizes us as a non-profit that works tirelessly to ensure that contributions from donors end up where they’re needed most,” says Jim Batten, executive vice president for Convoy of Hope. “We’re committed to open, honest lines of communication with our supporters so, together, we can help others.”
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Charity Navigator evaluates and highlights the work of efficient, ethical and open charities in the United States. Receiving four out of four stars indicates that Convoy of Hope adheres to good governance and other best practices and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way.
“Only one percent of the charities we rate have received at least nine consecutive four star evaluations,” said Ken Berger, President & CEO for Charity Navigator. “That indicates that Convoy of Hope outperforms most other charities in America and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.”
Sixty employees of a Las Vegas, Nev., based roofing company recently donated a day of their wages and gifted more than $14,000 to Convoy of Hope to help feed the impoverished around the world.
Scott Howard, president of Commercial Roofers, Inc., presented the idea of Convoy of Hope’s “One Day to Feed the World” campaign to his employees with no idea how they would respond.
“In my wildest dreams I never expected that 60 of our employees would participate in the campaign,” says Howard.
Learn more about ‘One Day to feed the World.’
The “One Day to Feed the World” campaign helps Convoy of Hope feed tens of thousands of children, respond to disasters, reach into communities with help and hope, and resource like-minded organizations.
“Many people are surprised when they find out just how much one day of their wages can make a difference in someone else’s life,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “When people give like this it really fuels our passion to help those most in need around the world.”
In the coming months, many companies, churches and individuals will be participating in “One Day to Feed the World.”
Convoy of Hope has delivered disaster relied supplies to the Dallas, Texas metro area in response to at least 13 tornadoes that struck the region. A tractor-trailer load of supplies reached the hard-hit communities of Forney and Lancaster for mobile distribution.
“We were in the Dallas area within hours after the storms hit,” says Karen Benson, director of global disaster response at Convoy of Hope. “We’re partnering with churches and authorities in Forney and Lancaster to ensure that relief supplies get to those who need it most.”
Convoy of Hope will continue to help those in need in the Dallas area when it kicks off The Convoy of Hope 50-state community outreach tour in the city on May 12. Hundreds of volunteers will gather to serve thousands in the area by offering free groceries, free clothing, job and health fairs, and many activities for children.
Just as it was time to begin school for the first time in his young life, Elmer, 5, was struggling to find something to eat. Elmer’s family is as poor as they come in this region of Santa Ana, El Salvador. They live in a tin-roof home on the side of a steep mountain. They have an hearth in their primitive kitchen—on a good day it gets used.
“I feel sad when I have nothing to eat,” says Elmer.
Elmer was ready to begin kindergarten but his mother was hesitant to send him to public school because he was weak and frail. She was afraid he would have a difficult time. The principal of Tinteral School in Santa Ana, where Convoy of Hope partners to feed children, heard of Elmer’s situation and knew the school would be a good place for him.
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Elmer began attending the private school and quickly became a star student in his class and a happy, active young boy. According to the principal, Elmer eats more than any child in his class.
“I know when I go to school I will eat,” Elmer says. “Then I am happy.”
More than 100 families in need gathered in Branson, Mo., as children from Jacob’s House at Thunder Ranch children’s home helped serve them a spaghetti lunch, then handed out take-home food donated by Convoy of Hope.
“I really wanted to teach these children by helping them feed the hungry,” says Penny Kootz, owner and director of Jacob’s House.
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Convoy of Hope donated eight pallets of food for the event. “When we heard what these kids were doing to help others, there was no question that we wanted to be a part of this project,” says Jeff Roman, corporate relations director for Convoy of Hope.
Penny says the event wouldn’t have been possible without Convoy of Hope. “Not only are we feeding the neighborhood, now our children are part of something bigger than themselves,” says Penny.
Thirteen-year-old Donovan ended up at Jacob’s House after his mother had a stroke and couldn’t care for him. “For a long time, I’ve had people helping me,” he says. “Now I can help other people and that makes me feel proud.”
Water equals life. But for many around the world, that basic human need is hard to come by. Convoy of Hope is working to change that.
“Today is World Water Day but the reality is, here at Convoy of Hope, every day is water day,” says Kevin Rose, children’s feeding programs director at Convoy of Hope. “In Kenya, for example, we are working closely with the ancient Maasai tribe to help them build innovative water collection sites.”
A serious, reoccurring drought plagues the Maasai community living at the base of Kenya’s Mt. Suswa volcano. Women and children here sometimes are forced to walk up to five miles a day just to find water.
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The Maasai have been desperately searching for ways to overcome their lack of water when they discovered the answer lied within Mt. Suswa. They found that the lava flow running beneath them was heating existing ground water, turning it into steam and trapping it in the earth. They began harvesting the steam by inserting pipes in the ground and collecting it as it turns to distilled water.
“After years of relationship building among the Maasai elders, Convoy of Hope has been presented with an exciting opportunity to help this community develop an innovative solution to this life-threatening problem,” says Rose. “We’ve identified 12 crucial locations where this type of water source is needed and we will be funding the work at every one of those sites.”
Convoy of Hope also has distributed more than 9,000 Sawyer water filtration systems through its international programs and disaster response efforts.
Thick white dust from newly graveled roads swirls in the air at the entrance of Turpin School in Haiti. The dust coats everything as children in uniforms swarm the schoolyard, establishing their pecking order in lunch lines.
Ellison, principle of the school, wipes his brow and scans the courtyard, seemingly taking in the magnitude of the situation he finds himself in. “For many of these kids, this will be their only meal today,” he says.
“When Convoy of Hope began feeding the children of Turpin three years prior to the 2010 earthquake, the school’s attendance was 300,” says David Edson, Caribbean regional coordinator for Convoy of Hope. “It’s grown very quickly.”
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With the help of Convoy of Hope and its friends, Ellison is feeding more than 900 children a day at the school.
“I’m so thankful for Convoy of Hope,” says Ellison, “Because Convoy of Hope and its partners have helped feed these children when they needed it most.”
Esther opens the pink cloth door to her tiny, concrete home in the mountains outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as if she’s opening the door to a castle. The 17 year-old does her best to brush her feet off before stepping inside and onto the home’s cool, concrete floors. Her pride in her home is unmistakable.
“This is where I live with my brothers and sisters,” she says as she sits on the small bed in the corner of the room. “We are family.”
Esther has become a role model to the seventeen younger orphans she now calls her brothers and sisters. She cooks for them, washes their clothes and mentors them. The January 2010 Haiti earthquake forced Esther to grow up well beyond her years. Just 15 at the time, she was at school when the ground began to rumble and buildings began to fall.
“I ran so fast,” she says, describing the first chaotic moments after the earthquake. “I wanted to get to my home to find my family.”
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Esther arrived at her home to find it in ruins. Her mother and father were nowhere to be found and she hasn’t seen them since. Pastor Ellison, director of Haiti’s rural Turpin School, found Esther hopeless and living in the streets.
“When I saw how Esther was living, it brought tears to my eyes,” says Ellison. “I had to help her.”
Ellison took Esther in, providing a roof over her head, clothes on her back and food to eat. She began attending Turpin School and was fed daily through Convoy of Hope. With the help of individual donors to Convoy of Hope, Ellison was able to build the house for Esther and the other orphans he has since rescued off the street.
“My life has changed so now I want to help other kids have a good life,” says Esther with a wide, bright smile.
Esther is one of more than 100,000 children now enrolled in Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiatives.
Click here to learn more about Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiatives.
On an unusually balmy day in Baltimore, Md., hundreds of students packed into the gym at the Chick Webb Recreation Center to take part in a mini-Convoy of Hope community outreach event complete with free food, haircuts, school supplies and portraits with National Football League players.
“This is the best day of school ever,” said one student as he waited in line for a free pair of shoes from Convoy of Hope partner, Samaritan’s Feet.
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On the playground dozens of students played catch with players who also manned inflatable play structures and spent time encouraging the children to stay in school.
“This outreach is a snapshot of one of our regular community outreach events,” says Michael Redmon, vice president of Global Initiatives for Convoy of Hope. “In partnership with the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation and the NFL players, our goal was to give all the students some much needed supplies and a little bit of hope.”
Hope is oftentimes a rare commodity for many of the children who call this community home. “Ninety-nine percent of the children in my school are on the free-lunch program,” said one teacher. “Many of the children represented here come to school just so they can get something to eat.”
The hunger problem is so dire that the director of the recreation center began a feeding program. “Each day we feed at least 50 children,” says Tracey Estep, the director. “Hunger is a big problem in this community.”
To help Estep’s work, Convoy of Hope left several pallets of food at the recreation center that Estep says will be, “instrumental to what we do because we hate to turn any hungry child away.”
As the day came to an end one mother — who could have been speaking for dozens of mothers — summed up the day’s activities best when she said, “If it wasn’t for all these organizations coming together, many of these children wouldn’t get a chance for a day like this … Everything is just so expensive now days.”
Click here to learn more about The Convoy of Hope 50-state tour.
Presidential candidate Ron Paul toured Convoy of Hope’s World Distribution Center, applauding the organization’s efforts to feed the hungry and aid disaster victims in the U.S. and abroad.
“It’s organizations like this that give us reason to be optimistic — this is encouraging,” said Paul as he made his way through Convoy of Hope’s 300,000 square-foot warehouse in Springfield, Mo.
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Convoy of Hope president and co-founder Hal Donaldson gave the Texas Congressman a brief history of the organization and its mission to help people entrapped in poverty. “Convoy of Hope is a testimony to the generosity of the American people,” Donaldson said.
“I’m grateful to Congressman Paul and his family for taking the time to visit Convoy of Hope,” says Donaldson. “We’re not a political organization — we don’t endorse candidates. But it’s always an honor to inform government officials, regardless of their party, of our efforts to improve the lives of families in need.”
May 12, in Dallas, the organization will launch The Convoy of Hope, a 50-state tour. As part of the tour more than $50 million in goods and services will be provided through local churches, civic organizations and agencies. This is an effort to encourage communities to offer immediate and long-term solutions to their neighbors in poverty. Public officials across the country have joined in this united act of compassion.
Learn more about The Convoy of Hope 50-state tour here.
Since a swarm of deadly tornadoes struck America’s Heartland and Southern states last week, Convoy of Hope has provided disaster relief to communities in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.
In the particularly hard-hit town of Henryville, Ind., two tractor-trailer loads of relief supplies have been delivered and are being distributed to storm victims.
“For people devastated by the storms, the most basic items such as food and water can be hard to come by,” says Jeff Nene, public relations director for Convoy of Hope. “Our goal is to make recovery easier for families by meeting their immediate needs.”
Since the tornadoes touched down, Convoy of Hope teams have been dispatched to Southwest Missouri cities and throughout the Heartland to assess damage and to supply emergency food, water and supplies.
Convoy of Hope relief efforts in Henryville, Ind., gained national media attention on CNN.
As deadly tornadoes killed at least 31 people and raked communities throughout America’s heartland and the South, Convoy of Hope deployed Disaster Response teams throughout the nation and to nearby counties in Missouri, which were devastated by tornadoes earlier in the week.
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“The devastation is widespread and took a major toll on several communities,” says Karen Benson, director of Global Disaster Response for Convoy of Hope. “As the most recent tornadoes were touching down we had trucks — full of food, water and emergency supplies — on the road headed to areas that forecasters projected to be hit.”
In Indiana, Convoy of Hope teams are concentrating their efforts in towns such as Henryville that suffered major damage. Teams are already in contact with local organizations, as well as city and government agencies to coordinate aid distribution and to assess how best Convoy of Hope can help.
“As soon as we get the green light from local officials we will begin setting up mobile distribution sites and dispatching debris removal teams,” says Benson.
Officials are predicting that the death toll will rise in the coming days. Convoy of Hope will continue to monitor and respond, with emergency supplies and teams, to communities in need.
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Convoy of Hope has deployed members of its Global Disaster Response team to assess storm damage in Buffalo, Branson, and Kimberling City, Mo., after a number of tornadoes swept through Southwest Missouri.
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“We are monitoring the situation closely and will assist the communities affected by the storms in the best way we can,” says Karen Benson, director of global disaster response for Convoy of Hope. “We’re in close contact with local and state emergency management officials and will continue to get updates from them.”
Convoy of Hope is distributing initial shipments of water and snack foods to churches in impacted areas.
“We are also assessing the need for debris removal assistance and will respond accordingly,” says Benson.
Yellow daffodils bloom along the foundation of where Helen Owen’s house stood before being blown apart by a tornado, last May, in Joplin, Mo. The small signs of life are harbingers of good things to come — one of the most important being a new home on the site in the near future.
“I just want to go home,” says Helen, as she stands on the foundation of the home she lived in since 1957. “Home is here. Memories are all I have left and I have plenty of them here.”
Helen’s new home will be one of a dozen homes being built by Convoy of Hope and partners Global Green Building, LLC, Project Safe Home, T.F. Concrete Forming Systems, Joyce Meyer Ministries — Hand of Hope and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Partnering with these organizations to help bring new life to Joplin is an honor for us,” says Karen Benson, director of global disaster response for Convoy of Hope.
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Joined by other homeowners and representatives from the project partners, Helen pushed a shiny gold shovel into her yard, signifying the official beginning of the project that will bring 12 new disaster-resistant and energy efficient homes to Joplin.
George Van Hoesen of Global Green Building, LLC, is contracting to build the homes. He hopes the homes will prove to be a model for the future.
“I want to thank Convoy of Hope for really going above and beyond and looking beyond the bottom dollar at how construction can be more resilient and more energy efficient,” says Van Hoesen.
The first six homes are scheduled to be completed by the end of May. That can’t come soon enough for Helen. “Convoy of Hope has been so helpful,” she says. “I appreciate all of the support from all who give to Convoy of Hope. Because of the support of others, I can move on with life and I’m ready!”
In the coming days Convoy of Hope will hold a groundbreaking ceremony in celebration of the building of several new, disaster-resistant and energy efficient homes for tornado victims in Joplin, Mo.
“We’re happy to be partnering with several organizations to help families rebuild their lives,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “This project is made possible by our Extreme Hope Fund, which represents the generosity of many of Convoy of Hope’s partners throughout the nation.”
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Convoy of Hope is teaming up with Global Green Building, Project Safe Home, T.F. Concrete Forming Systems, Joyce Meyer Ministries – Hand of Hope and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to build the homes.
Jackie Allen, 37, a single mother who lost her home during the tornado last May recently signed a contract for one of the new homes.
“This is a game changer for us,” she says. “With no insurance, I had no idea where my son and I were going to live.”
Some of the homes are expected to be completed by May 22, 2012 — the anniversary of the tornado.
Convoy of Hope has long been known for not just doing the work of compassion but also telling stories of compassion with living detail. That commitment will be carried into Field Stories, Convoy of Hope’s new monthly electronic newsletter, which is set to launch in February with an inside look at Convoy of Hope’s work throughout the world.
Click here to sign up for the newsletter.
“Our goal is to provide supporters, partners and the general public an encounter with Convoy of Hope and the people we help,” says Kirk Noonan, senior director of communications for Convoy of Hope.
Field Stories will consist of Convoy of Hope’s most recent stories, photography and videos from the field. It will also deliver volunteer opportunities and engaging quotes gathered from friends at events, through email and social media.
“Field Stories is an excellent way to tell our story,” says Noonan, “but more importantly to expand our footprint so that we’re able to partner even more with our friends to help more people here in the States and abroad.”
In January, Convoy of Hope’s new 36,000-square-foot warehouse just outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti was dedicated.
“This warehouse is a symbol of hope and provision for the people of Haiti,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “It will also allow us to continue expanding our children’s feeding initiatives in Haiti and in the Caribbean.”
Four years ago Convoy of Hope obtained a small warehouse and started feeding children in Haiti. The program saw the enrollment of 6,000 children in the program. Today, more than 54,000 children are fed each school day throughout the country.
Click here to support the ongoing work of Convoy of Hope.
“The new warehouse allows us to streamline our operations so that we can serve even more children in the future and expand other programs such as our agricultural initiatives,” says Kevin Rose, director of Convoy of Hope’s Children Feeding Initiatives.
According to Rose, the vision for the warehouse was put on the fast track shortly after the massive 7.0 earthquake struck in 2010.
“We saw an opportunity to help the country recover from the earthquake by helping its children,” he says. “Our friends throughout the world rallied around this strategy by giving sacrificially. Today, tens of thousand of children now have access to food and have hope for tomorrow.”
Jackeline carefully rations out small portions of rice and beans for her family at the beginning of each month. The wife of a carpenter and mother of two from El Salvador tries to stretch the portions as far as she can, hoping to provide her family at least one meal a day.
“Convoy of Hope’s feeding program saved my family,” she says. “They are not only helping feed my children at school but as a mother, I am receiving help to feed my family at home as well.”
Jackeline and her family are part of Convoy of Hope’s take home feeding program that supplements efforts to feed children at school. More than 5,000 food packets of rice and beans are sent home to families every month in El Salvador.
Click here to support Convoy of Hope’s initiatives around the world.
“Our home feeding program is an important part of our efforts to feed the impoverished,” says Kevin Rose, director of children’s feeding initiatives for Convoy of Hope. “Through our children’s feeding initiatives, we’re able to establish contact with that child at school and extend our feeding efforts to his or her family. It improves the life of the child at school and at home.”
Rose says the program is in place in six countries and is expected to launch in the Philippines this year.
With the stroke of a pen, Craig Showers, 51, says he has a restored faith in humanity.
Through the support of Convoy of Hope’s Extreme Hope Fund, Showers recently signed a contract for a new home in Joplin, Mo.
Partnering with Global Green Building, Project Safe Home and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Convoy of Hope is embarking on a project to help with the building of at least a dozen energy efficient homes in Joplin.
“This means so much to me,” says Showers. “I felt like I was on ice and kept losing my footing. Convoy of Hope has brought stability to my life and I’m so thankful.”
The day after an Ef-5 tornado struck Joplin, and destroyed Showers’ home, he climbed through debris in search of where he once lived. There were a few belongings he hoped to recover but before he could, a massive fire destroyed everything the tornado didn’t blow away.
“To say that experience changed by life is an understatement,” says Showers. “I found myself on food stamps for the first time. I was homeless, I needed help and it was very difficult to accept.”
Showers and his son have been living in a FEMA trailer for months. He had no insurance on his home and has since fallen between the cracks of government assistance. “I just didn’t have the money to make up the difference needed to rebuild my home,” he says.
According to Karen Benson, director of global disaster response for Convoy of Hope, Showers and at least six other homeowners will move in by May 22, 2012—the anniversary of the tornado. “We’ve signed six contracts and there are six to ten more families going through the initial process,” she says. “We hope to be working on all of the builds by spring.”
Showers says the new home will help him get on with his life. “Now I can wake up in the morning and think about something other than where I’m going to live,” he says. “That means the world to me.”
On a warm day in Haiti, 18-month-old Aliana dances in the courtyard of her orphanage, tossing her doll in the air as if she’s putting on a show. She swings back and forth, swaying to the music being sung by other children.
“She’s so happy and thriving,” says Julie Joseph, founder of Redeemer’s House Orphanage. “We are so thankful she’s healthy because her life could have turned out very differently.”
Aliana almost didn"t live past her first birthday. Not being able to provide for her in the chaotic and dangerous streets of Port-au-Prince, Aliana’s mother dropped her off at Redeemer’s House Orphanage.
“She weighed only eight pounds and was so malnourished, I didn’t think she was going to make it,” says Joseph. “Convoy of Hope and its partners provided the formula that helped nurse her back to health.”
Click here to support Convoy of Hope.
Aliana is one of more than 100,000 children now enrolled in Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiatives. The more than 54,000 children being fed in Haiti will now get their meals from Convoy of Hope’s new 36,000 square foot Haiti warehouse. Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Convoy of Hope moved quickly to build the warehouse that can now store up to six million meals.
After the earthquake, Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope set the goal to feed 100,000 children in seven countries. “We’ve been able to reach that goal in just two years thanks, in part, to our partners and supporters,” says Donaldson.
As principal Iris Arely Castillo de Moreno watched children anxiously file into San Jose Naranjo School for the first day of classes, a pale, skinny boy named Daniel caught her eye. Most of the children in this rural school in El Salvador were malnourished, but it was evident Daniel’s situation was far worse than most.
“The first thing he did was ask for food,” says de Moreno of Daniel. “I knew he needed help and needed it fast.”
Daniel began kindergarten that day and each day thereafter he asked for food. One of ten siblings, Daniel’s parents lacked the means to feed all the children. Soon after, Convoy of Hope began providing meals at Daniel’s school.
“We’ve watched Daniel’s growth and development as a student here and it is amazing,” reports de Moreno. “We’re so thankful for Convoy of Hope and its supporters.”
Click here to support Convoy of Hope’s initiatives throughout the world.
Daniel is no longer the frail kindergartener in search of a meal. Today, he’s a healthy, prospering seventh grader. The twelve-year-old plays the trumpet in the school band and excels academically.
“The food is helping me because it has vitamins and makes me feel strong,” says Daniel. “I’m excited to get to school because sometimes it is the only time I get to eat.” Like most twelve-year-olds, Daniel loves recess and playing with his friends.
“Convoy of Hope came to Daniel and to our school at just the right moment,” says de Moreno. “We were about to close the school because we had no money. Convoy of Hope’s support helped us remain open and continue to help the children of this community.”
Convoy of Hope also helped build housing facilities for the school where teachers can stay during the week and as part of the feeding initiative, packets of food are sent home with children for their families.
“It’s because of stories like Daniel’s that we set out to feed more than 100,000 children through our children’s feeding initiatives,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “We’ve reached that goal thanks, in part, to our sponsors and supporters but there are still many more children we want to reach.”
Millions of people watched Convoy of Hope’s appearance on the series finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition — now the episode is available online.
On the emotional and inspiring finale, seven homes were built in seven days in tornado stricken Joplin, Mo. Convoy of Hope president Hal Donaldson announced the creation of the Extreme Hope Fund — a $1 million donation to assist families affected by the storm.
“Since the tornado, we’ve been able to distribute 70 truck loads of food and supplies,” Donaldson tells host Ty Pennington. “It’s all been made possible because of the generosity of the people in this region. We love the city of Joplin.”
Click here to support Convoy of Hope.
Convoy of Hope has completed four major projects in the Joplin area for households with critical needs, including Chris & Mary Plummer and Brenda Wrights Richards.
“It was an honor for Convoy of Hope to be part of this show,” says Jim Batten, senior vice president for Convoy of Hope. “The people of Joplin are our neighbors and we hope this build, along with the Extreme Hope Fund, will help in giving them a new start.”
Affected Joplin residents can apply for financial assistance from the Extreme Hope fund through the Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee by calling 417-625-9192.
A visit to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the Ozark hills near Mansfield, Mo., is like a step back in time. The pioneer village setting boasts replicas of 19th-century buildings including a restaurant, bakery, old-time mercantile, blacksmith and even a jail.
On a snowy afternoon, Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, rushes out of the cold and into the restaurant to talk about his donation of $200,000 worth of seeds to Convoy of Hope. “We really wanted to give these seeds to a legitimate organization that would distribute the seeds and get them to people in need,” says Gettle. “Convoy of Hope was a perfect fit.”
Looking to support Convoy of Hope’s work around the world?
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds produces around 1,400 varieties of rare, unusual heirloom seeds each year. The donated seeds were inventory the company couldn’t change over at the end of the year.
“These seeds have the potential to feed thousands,” says Dr. Jason Streubel, agriculture specialist for Convoy of Hope. “We’ll use the seeds as we work to promote sustainable agriculture initiatives in impoverished countries.”
Streubel says Convoy of Hope will begin shipping the seeds in the next two months.
“It’s really exciting what a little bit of seed can do for a community,” says Gettle. “We’ve seen it several times and it is amazing to watch. I look forward to seeing what a difference Convoy of Hope can make with them.”
Since its foundation in 1994, Convoy of Hope has served more than 50 million people around the world through international children’s feeding initiatives, citywide outreaches, disaster response and partner resourcing.
“In our first year of operations, we served 70,000 people,” recalls Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “With the help of partners and supporters, we’ve come a long way and this is a significant milestone for us.”
In 2011, Convoy of Hope had enrolled more than 100,000 children in its children’s feeding initiative and conducted major disaster relief efforts in response to the Joplin tornado and earthquake in Japan. Also in 2011, Convoy of Hope served more than nine million people through its four main initiatives.
Click here to support Convoy of Hope.
One of those served is Stevenson, 12, who lives in a Convoy of Hope sponsored orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He was rescued from the mean streets of Port-au-Prince and is now thriving.
“I am thankful to be here,” says Stevenson. “I sleep well and I am able to eat and go to school. If I were not here I would be out in the street with no life.”
Stevenson says he wants to be a mechanic and a professional soccer player when he grows up.
“We’re reaching more and more people like Stevenson every year,” says Donaldson. “As the need to help people around the world grows, our efforts will continue to increase.”
Convoy of Hopes plans to add significantly to the 50 million people currently served by expanding the children’s feeding initiative in 2012 and with the launch of the 50-state Convoy of Hope All America Tour.
Brenda Wright Richards points to a bag of spices in the newly built pantry of her once-tornado stricken home and smiles.
“That bag of spices made it through two tornadoes,” she says. “There’s still debris in the bottom of it.”
Her rural home, just a few miles outside Joplin, Mo., was all but destroyed when a tornado ripped off its roof and an exterior wall in May 2008. Brenda and her husband, Robert, survived the storm but were forced to abandon their home because of the damage it sustained. They moved to Joplin.
Last May another massive tornado struck the region. One hundred and sixty two people were killed and the Richards’ home was one of thousands of structure completely obliterated.
“It’s been a tragic three year stretch for us,” says Brenda.
With no place to live — the Richards returned to their heavily damaged rural home.
“I didn’t want to move back and be reminded of what happened here,” she says. “But I knew it was our only place to go.”
For more than five months the Richards lived without water and basic utilities. Feeling desperate, Brenda contacted the Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee, which is helping Joplin families recover from the most recent tornado.
“I’ve never needed help before so it was hard to call,” admits Brenda. “I told them all we needed was water and a roof. Then they sent Convoy of Hope and they went above and beyond.”
Click here to make a donation to Convoy of Hope’s work around the world.
Convoy of Hope workers have replaced the Richards’ roof, reconnected water and sewer, added insulation and replaced siding. The home is now livable.
Convoy of Hope’s recent announcement of its Extreme Hope Fund on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will help many more families in Joplin, like the Richards, who need help beyond what government agencies and insurance companies can provide.
“This is part of our commitment to continue helping families recover from this tragedy,” says Kary Kingsland, senior vice president of Global Initiatives for Convoy of Hope.
Standing in her living room, Brenda holds a newspaper from 2008 with the word ‘Devastation’ and a photo of tornado damage splashed across the front page.
“I’m thankful for Convoy of Hope,” she says. “We’re starting over again. Hopefully it’ll be the last time.”
Affected Joplin residents can apply for financial assistance from the Extreme Hope fund through the Joplin Long Term Recovery Committee by calling 417-625-9192.
Convoy of Hope will be featured on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s 200th episode and series finale on January 13. During the episode, which documents the building of seven homes in seven days in tornado-ravaged Joplin, Mo., Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope, will discuss the organization’s work and plans in Joplin with host, Ty Pennington.
“Since the tornado struck, Convoy of Hope has been helping families in Joplin recover,” says Donaldson. “We remain committed to the city and its people and are excited to be a part of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s efforts to help rebuild and give the community hope.”
On May 22, 2011 an EF-5 tornado carved a deadly swath through Joplin killing 162 people and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses. Since then, Convoy of Hope — which is based in nearby Springfield — has distributed more than 2.6 million pounds of food, water and supplies to those affected by the storm.
Last October, as part of the city’s massive recovery effort, thousands of volunteers descended on the southwest Missouri city to take part in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In one week, seven custom homes were built and several community projects were completed.
Watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on Friday (8/7 central) to see Convoy of Hope’s plans for Joplin.
Click here to make a donation to Convoy of Hope.
It’s not just what you see and do — it’s what you set in motion. That’s how Matt Wilkie, director of Convoy of Hope Interns, describes the work of the young adults he leads each year.
“We’re really trying to make a difference by providing people in need with the tools and resources to better their lives,” he says reflecting on the program’s projects since its beginning in 2006. “And at the same time, our interns gain a life-changing experience.”
In 2011 Convoy of Hope Interns promoted sustainable growth in the Philippines; aided impoverished families in the U.S.; worked at orphanages in Haiti and helped launch feeding programs in Honduras.
“Our interns were part of the process setting the Honduras feeding program in motion,” says Wilkie. “That’s something they’ll never forget.”
Click here to learn more about Convoy of Hope’s internships.
Hollie Powell of Warsaw, Ind., was part of the fall 2011 team that worked at a citywide outreach in Chicago, participated in disaster response in Joplin, Mo., and spent seven weeks in Haiti.
“When you enter into a culture where they don’t have clean water or even toilets you forget about the materials things in life,” she says of her time in Haiti. “You’re able to let your guard down and just love people.”
The spring 2012 Convoy of Hope Interns will conduct a community outreach in conjunction with the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, Ind., and spend nearly two months in the Philippines this spring. There are still open spots to join the summer and fall Convoy of Hope Interns that will work in the United States, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Click here to support Convoy of Hope.
Convoy of Hope plans to reach record numbers of people beginning in 2012 with the launch of the Convoy of Hope 50-state tour. The tour is set to debut May 12, in Dallas, Texas.
“As we begin the new year, we are focusing our efforts on impacting lives in every state and positioning ourselves to respond to any needs that may occur around the world,” says Ron Showers, Outreach Director for Convoy of Hope. “In particular, our citywide outreaches show the impact we can make when thousands of people come together to help one another.”
The Convoy of Hope Tour wouldn’t be possible without our many partners and supporters, according to Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope.
Click here to support Convoy of Hope.
“There are so many who’ve supported Convoy of Hope’s mission,” says Donaldson. “It’s business owners, churchgoers, students, civic organizations and many others who have united to make a difference in people’s lives through Convoy of Hope.”
More details and additional dates of the tour will be released in the coming weeks. Check here for updates.
Since Convoy of Hope began its initiatives around the world nearly two decades ago, more than 49 million people have been served in countries around the world and here in the United States. In 2011 alone, Convoy of Hope procured more than $54 million gifts in kind; distributed more than 38 million lbs. of product worth more than $54 million; and served more than nine million people.
“This was really a monumental year for us,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “We were able to serve more people in a year’s time than we’ve ever been able to do in the past. It’s because of our supporters and partners that we’ve been able to change so many lives.”
Of the nine million people served, more than 100,000 were starving children who are now enrolled in Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiatives. “We’ve really focused on expanding our children’s feeding initiatives,” says Donaldson.
There were many people who found themselves in need unexpectedly in 2011 as natural disasters destroyed communities in the United States and abroad. Convoy of Hope initiated rapid and extended response efforts in the aftermath of tornado catastrophes in Joplin, Mo., and the southeast; and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
“We conducted seven international and seven domestic disaster response operations,” says Kary Kingsland, senior vice-president–global initiatives for Convoy of Hope. “This year was particularly significant in terms of the scale of devastation caused by natural disasters and we’ve been able to play a significant role in relief efforts.”
In response to the Joplin tornado alone, Convoy of Hope distributed 2.6 million lbs. of supply to those affected by the storm.
While many Convoy of Hope personnel aided the suffering, other teams were carrying on business as usual. In 2011, 76 outreaches were held in the United States and around the world where families received healthcare, groceries, haircuts, family portraits and more. An initiative to hold outreaches in all 50 states will launch in May 2012.
“While we’ve been able to help so many people this last year, our goal is to help even more in 2012,” says Donaldson.
The video below is a thank you to all of our generous supporters for all they’ve helped us to accomplish in 2011.
To make a tax-deductible donation click here.
Visiting an evacuation center in the typhoon struck city of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, Raul Manuel, country director for Convoy of Hope, walks around survivors huddled closely on the cold, hard floor.
“There are thousands of people here looking for help,” he says as he assesses the needs in the region. “They are sleeping on the floor of these centers and their clothes are wet and dirty. Most of them lost everything they had in the flooding.”
After shipping 18,000 meals to the region, Convoy of Hope is now working with local relief agencies to continue providing support to the people in the affected areas.
“We’ve purchased relief supplies here on the ground and are beginning to distribute them,” says Manuel. “The biggest problem we are facing here is a lack of water.”
Raul says there is also a significant need for dry clothes, sleeping mats and MRE’s (meals ready-to-eat).
“We’re continuing to monitor the situation closely and will provide whatever relief we can,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “It’s because of our supporters and partners that we are able to do out part in this relief effort.”
Just hours after a devastating typhoon lashed the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, Convoy of Hope’s global disaster response team mobilized to help those affected by the deadly storm.
Container loads carrying 18,000 meals have been dispatched from Convoy of Hope’s warehouse in Manila and are headed to Mindanao, where Typhoon Washi unleashed torrential rains, killing more than 900 people.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of the Philippines,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “Our team is coordinating relief efforts by working with local representatives, contacts and churches to ensure our food will be distributed quickly to those in need.”
To donate to Convoy of Hope’s relief efforts around the world click here.
More than 25,000 families in and around the city of Cagayan de Oro have lost everything, according to Raul Manuel, Philippines country director for Convoy of Hope.
“The majority of lives lost and property destroyed were due to major flash flooding,” says Manuel, who is en route to Mindanao to assess the evolving situation. “We’re currently working with local leaders to organize groups of people to help survivors of the storm with debris clean up.”
Convoy of Hope has been feeding close to 2,000 children in an elementary school in Cagayan de Oro through its children’s feeding initiative.
“I will be visiting the school to assess the damage there,” says Manuel.
Information from the affected areas indicates a need for food, bedding and dry clothing. Convoy of Hope will continue to monitor the situation and respond accordingly.
“This is a time of year for giving and sharing with others in need,” says Donaldson. “We will work diligently to respond to the needs of our friends in the Philippines.”
Twice a month, a group of 15 mothers in the impoverished country of El Salvador meet to participate in Mother’s Clubs, a new Convoy of Hope program that educates them on how to provide healthier environments for their families.
“These women come from situations that make it difficult for them to adequately care for their families,” says Andrea Frey, Central America director of Convoy of Hope’s feeding initiatives. “Some are unemployed, 80 percent are illiterate and most simply don’t have the physical resources to sustainably feed their own children.”
Recognizing the lack of knowledge on health issues and lack of education on nutrition and food among Salvadorians, Convoy of Hope initiated the program in June 2011. The mothers are chosen by local community leaders and are typically the most impoverished.
Click here to support Convoy of Hope’s initiatives around the world.
“We’re going beyond just providing a meal to the more than 5,000 kids we are currently feeding in El Salvador,” says Jim Batten, senior vice-president for Convoy of Hope. “Through this program we want to provide families a sustainable approach to ending hunger in their own homes and eventually in their communities.”
Convoy of Hope provides experts who train and educate the women on topics such as: nutritious cooking, physical development, preventable health measures, microenterprises and even how to create community gardens. During the cooking workshops, the women learn how to cook with the foods that are distributed through Convoy of Hope"s warehouse in El Salvador.
“We really believe this approach to creating healthy, nourished, sustainable families will have a significant impact on these communities,” says Frey. “It’s our goal that these women will become leaders in their villages and share the knowledge we are providing them with others in their community. This program has the potential to change the lives of thousands in El Salvador.”
A few miles outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, about a dozen Haitian workers are securing large sections of insulation and sheet metal against thick steel beams as they work to complete Convoy of Hope’s new 36,000 square-foot warehouse.
David Edson, Caribbean regional coordinator for Convoy of Hope, leads a small group of supporters from the U.S. on a tour as the men work. “We’re going to be able to hold up to six million meals at a time in here,” he says. “That means we’ll be able to feed more children here in Haiti in the near future.”
Be a part of progress by making a donation online.
The new warehouse, overlooking the Caribbean Sea and Port-au-Prince, is scheduled to open in late January 2012. Beyond being a conduit to bolster Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiatives in Haiti, the warehouse will also act as a disaster response center for the Caribbean.
“If there is a disaster in the Dominican Republic, Cuba or Jamaica,” says Edson, “we’ll be able to quickly ship food and supplies out of here in response instead of shipping it from the United States, which will expedite the process and be less expensive.”
Convoy of Hope is currently operating out of a warehouse nearby that is less than 15,000 square-feet, not nearly big enough to accommodate the growing feeding initiatives in Haiti.
“We’re feeding more than 55,000 children every school day in Haiti,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “Our goal is to feed 100,000 here and this new facility will undoubtedly help us reach that goal.”
You can support Convoy of Hope’s relief efforts around the world by clicking here.
Being constructed with 230,000 pounds of steel, the building will be both hurricane and earthquake resistant.
With the smell of melting chocolate hanging in the air, Askinosie Chocolate owner Shawn Askinosie pulls out a plastic bag filled with half-dollar size tablets of milled roasted cocoa beans called Tableya — a traditional Filipino hot chocolate beverage.
“These represent a meal to children half a world away in the Philippines,” he says.
Convoy of Hope is partnering with the Springfield, Mo., based business to feed more than 500 children a day in the Philippines. Profits from the sale of the Tableya will go to Convoy of Hope to help feed the malnourished children of Malagos Elementary School in Davao City.
Click here to buy or learn more about Tableya
“This is a great opportunity to provide food for children in need in the Philippines and at the same time partner with a local business who shares our goal to find a sustainable approach to end world hunger,” said Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope.
Click here to donate to Convoy of Hope’s relief efforts around the world.
The Parent Teacher Association at Malagos Elementary made the tablets by hand, giving them a stake in the outcome of the partnership, according to Askinosie.
“The parents’ hands on approach to this project ensures the product will be of highest quality because they know the outcome will be a better life for those kids,” he says.
Askinosie’s goal is to provide more than 110,000 meals to the children of Malagos. Of the 800 units of chocolate Askinosie purchased nearly 400 units have been sold.
The Tableya is on sale at Askinosie Chocolate’s warehouse in Springfield and online at www.askinosie.com.
On the last night of Convoy of Hope’s Hands of Hope volunteer program of 2011, warehouse assistant David Silver stands in front of about 150 people who’ve shown up at Convoy of Hope’s massive 300,000 square-foot warehouse to lend a hand to those in need throughout the world.
“I want to see a show of hands,” he tells them. “Everybody put your hands in the air.” Obliging his request, the volunteers ranging in age from 9 to 92 give him a quick wave.
“These hands are the hands of hope!” he says poignantly. “This year alone we have shipped 33 million pounds of supply, aided 8.3 million people and logged 13,000 volunteer man hours through this program. Now you all are a part of it.”
Every Tuesday night, under leadership of about a dozen lead volunteers, people are divided into groups to work on a variety of projects ranging from packing food to folding clothing.
“We’re here to end world hunger and help those in need,” says Silver. “Our goal is to make a difference in the world and we believe it’s important to provide members of the community an opportunity to be a part of this effort.”
On this particular evening, volunteers are assembling packets of beans, labeling cans and counting huge boxes of tents donated by the Boy Scouts of America.
Amber Billingsly, a social studies teacher, is chaperoning a group of students from her school’s Key Club. She helps them methodically pack beans into plastic bags and then into boxes.
“My students really wanted to volunteer at Convoy of Hope because they know they will be making a big difference in the world,” she says as she dumps a bag of beans into a large box. “They know this food is going to help people who really need it that are either in a disaster area, or part of a feeding program, and so I think that makes them feel like it’s really worthwhile.”
Senior Kendall Hoffman works the end of the assembly line, packing the bags of beans into shipping boxes. “It’s neat to know that these beans are going to end up feeding people far away,” he says. “We’ve done volunteer work to help people here in Springfield but this time we wanted to extend that to people who need help in other countries.”
Wendy Larkin brought with her about a dozen volunteers. She brings different teams throughout the year as part of her employer’s program to support volunteerism in the community.
“We’ve just been so moved by participating in this program,” she says. “Last week we learned that the clothing we were folding and sorting had reached a homeless family in the San Diego area and that it was going to be their only Christmas present this year. It’s amazing.”
Stars Go Dim, national recording artists, have a goal of raising $12,000 in 12 days for Convoy of Hope by asking their fans to make a donation or buy their latest single or album.
“The campaign is called 12 Days of Hope and a portion of the proceeds from all sales of their single and album during the campaign will go to our work of helping those who are impoverished and hurting,” says Jeff Roman, corporate relations director at Convoy of Hope.
The Twelve Days of Hope campaign begins on November 25 and ends December 6. To help launch the campaign on the 25th the band will also release their newest video, Between Here and Now, which shows many of the places Convoy of Hope responded to human suffering in 2011 including Haiti and Japan.
“Convoy of Hope is an amazing organization,” says Joey Avalos, guitar player for Stars Go Dim. “They just want to help people ... That’s what pulled us in.”
Recently, the three-member band traveled to Haiti with Convoy of Hope to see the organization’s feeding initiatives in action and to meet children in the orphanages where the organization’s food is distributed. The band also shot footage for the Between Here and Now music video, which can be seen below.
“One aspect of our partnership with Stars Go Dim is that they have made a commitment to give back,” adds Roman.
According to Roman, the partnership with Stars Go Dim is one of many that allow Convoy of Hope to continue meeting needs of millions hurting people. “As our partnership base increases, we continue to reach more and more people around the world who need our assistance,” he says. “Such help allows us to continue to encourage communities to reach out to their neighbors in a spirit of compassion and humility.”
Stars Go Dim is slated to tour in the Philippines this December and looks forward to connecting with Convoy of Hope efforts in that region. The band also plans to be involved in Convoy of Hope outreaches throughout the United States in 2012.
For more information about 12 Days of Hope click here.
Click here to help Convoy of Hope continue to impact families like Tony’s.
Bright colors flooded the parking lot of city hall in Roswell, Ga., where a Convoy of Hope community outreach was well underway. Inflatable bounce houses, rides, games and balloons welcomed children to the sprawling kid’s area.
Large striped tents housed volunteers who offered medical screenings, job placement assistance, haircuts, family portraits, prayer and connection to local churches, agencies and organizations.
One family of volunteers knew exactly what it was like to be an honored guest at the outreach because two years earlier they were homeless and had come to the distribution site for help ... and hope.
They received both.
Tony, a volunteer, can’t stop his eyes from filling with emotion as he recounts how he moved his wife and three children to Atlanta more than five years ago to establish a construction business with partners.
Partner with Convoy of Hope to help families like Tony’s.
“Contracts stopped coming,” he says. “I couldn’t pay the mortgage … couldn’t feed my family. I lost my house. We ended up living in our car.”
At night during months of homelessness Tony watched his children huddle together to stay warm in the car. “It was real despair,” he says of the experience. “I kept asking myself, ‘Was it my fault? How did this happen?’”
Tony heard that Convoy of Hope was distributing free groceries and decided to attend the outreach in Roswell.
“People were genuinely concerned about our situation and wanting to help,” recalls Tony.
A group of volunteers at the outreach went above and beyond their duties to help Tony find a job, a home and furnishings. They also helped enroll his children in school.
“At the outreach my life completely changed,” he says.
The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) will join thousands of businesses, churches and individuals this fall to participate in Convoy of Hope’s One Day to Feed the World campaign, which encourages participants to give one day’s wage to help feed the hungry around the world.
Click here to learn more about One Day to Feed the World.
The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference leads more than 16 million Hispanic Christians in more than 34,000 affiliated churches in the United States.
“We have great admiration and respect for the leaders of NHCLC and believe their support of One Day to Feed the World will positively impact thousands of suffering people around the world,” says Dave Donaldson, co-founder and strategic partnerships executive with Convoy of Hope.
“It is an honor for Convoy of Hope to partner with the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference in a movement of hope to feed the hungry,” adds Donaldson.
Despite unusually bitterly cold weather more than 13,000 people attended a Convoy of Hope community outreach in Sacramento, Calif., recently.
“Today we served some of the poorest of the poor in the Sacramento region,” says Ron Showers, director of global outreach for Convoy of Hope. “But we also served many working-poor families who simply needed a hand up during these tough economic times.”
Click here to make an online donation to Convoy of Hope.
Michelle says she came to the outreach in search of dental care, but found much more than she expected.
“I didn’t think it would be this big and offer so many services,” she says after receiving a free pair of shoes from Samaritan’s Feet, a partner of Convoy of Hope. “Our family is facing very hard times. I’ve been unemployed for two years even though I’ve been actively seeking a job. All of these services will help us a lot.”
Throughout the day the more than 2,300 volunteers manned areas that offered health and dental screenings, family portraits, groceries, clothing, shoes and employment opportunities — all of which were free of charge. One hundred churches and more than 30 organizations banded together to hold the outreach. Their dedication to help those who are hurting, says Showers, helped double the number of guests who attended the outreach last year.
“The services offered here are so very needed,” says Monica, a homeless mother of three who is expecting. “We stay here or there, so this event has come right on time for us.”
Already Convoy of Hope has held more than 50 community outreaches in 2011. Starting in 2012, Convoy of Hope will embark on a 50-state tour that will bring outreaches to residents of every state. Monica, could not be happier about that.
“If I could, I would go to every Convoy of Hope outreach, no matter where it was held,” she says.
Partner with Convoy of Hope to help people like Monica with an online donation.
Thousands of people are homeless after a deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey in late October. To help such families Convoy of Hope Europe has rushed funds to an in-country partner who will purchase winterized tents for many displaced families.
To learn more about Convoy of Hope Europe or to donate, click here.
“The immediate needs are temporary shelter,” says Albert Walsweer, European director for COHEU. “Although the government in Turkey has been able to help many of the survivors, they have now asked for assistance as temperatures continue to drop.”
According to Walsweer, COHEU will continue to asses the situation and explore opportunities to provide for displaced families.
Join Cindi in making a difference with Convoy of Hope by making a donation.
As a devastating EF5 tornado ripped through Joplin, Mo., on May 22, 2011, Mary Plummer stood at the back door of her mobile home in Wentworth, Mo., with her eyes to the sky. The tiny town about 20 miles southeast of Joplin was also directly in the path of the deadly storm.
“We could hear the roar of the storm for what seemed like an hour,” Mary says.
As she watched, the tornado dropped back down from the sky as an EF2. Mary says her husband, Chris, hollered at her to get away from the door.
“I threw her on the floor, jumped on top of her, put blankets over us and prayed to God,” Chris remembers.
The Plummers rode out the storm in their mobile home while glass, shingles, wood and other debris flew through the air. The winds moved the mobile home 3 feet off its support, shattered windows and drove debris through walls.
“It was one of the scariest moments of my life,” Mary says. “I hope I never have to go through something like that again.”
But what the Plummers endured in the weeks and months after the tornado proved to be nearly as challenging as weathering the storm itself. The storm left them with electricity in only half of their home, no hot water and 3-foot holes in the floor. Their only bedroom had no electricity and was uninhabitable during the brutally hot and humid summer months, forcing the couple to move their mattress to the living room, where they would sleep for the next four months.
“We just figured we’d be stuck like this, and we felt so useless,” Chris says.
Then, in September, Convoy of Hope took notice of the Plummers’ situation.
On one of the first crisp autumn mornings of the season, Chris and Mary slowly made their way out of their dilapidated mobile home, past an American flag popping in the wind, to their new reality.
Standing behind the damaged home they had lived in for seven years now sits a newer, larger mobile home where the couple will get a new lease on life. Convoy of Hope helped the Plummers purchase the home and provided support to hook up electricity and plumbing.
Cindi VandenEinde, field services coordinator for disaster response for Convoy of Hope, began working on the project in September. “Convoy of Hope is helping people that have fallen through the cracks and are unable to get assistance through other agencies or organizations,” says Cindi. “We’re here to help Chris and Mary in whatever ways are needed. Today is an awesome and exciting day for them because they are going to sleep in their new home for the first time.”
As Cindi and a handful of Convoy of Hope volunteers move about the Plummers’ new home, cleaning and completing the move-in, Chris and Mary sit in their new living room, amazed at the outpouring of support from Convoy of Hope.
“We didn’t think we were going to get help,” Chris says softly, glancing at his wife. “It was like a miracle when Convoy of Hope came in. They’ve gone way beyond what we could have imagined. They helped us move, washed our clothes and even bought us a new mattress.”
Mary’s eyes light up. “I just can’t believe there are people out there like this,” she says, smiling. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Help Convoy of Hope continue to come along side families like this one.
For the first time, Convoy of Hope has been named to The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Philanthropy 400 for 2011. To qualify for the honor organizations must have raised at least $43 million the previous year.
“Like many organizations such as ours, a large portion of our contributions came from generous corporate partners who donated product that we used to fight hunger and serve those who are in need,” says Jim Batten, executive vice president of Convoy of Hope. “Making the Philanthropy 400 demonstrates the faith individual donors and corporate partners have entrusted in us to help the poor and suffering throughout the world.”
According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, nonprofits on the list are an important bellwether because they raise nearly $1 of every $4 donated to American charities. Cash and gifts including stock, real estate and other noncash donations are counted in each organization’s tally.
“Despite the economic slowdown, our donors continue to give generously to our work,” adds Batten. “We do not take that for granted.”
Amelio and his family scrambled to higher ground as the river beside their home swelled rapidly. They survived, but their home and everything they owned were swept away by the floodwaters that inundated El Salvador recently.
Convoy of Hope disaster responders were there to provide Amelio and more than 500 other families with food, water purification units and other emergency relief supplies.
Donate to Convoy of Hope’s relief and development efforts around the world.
“According to the El Salvadoran media, more than 55,000 people have been displaced as a result of the floods,” says disaster responder Nick Wiersma. “Thousands more are affected by the loss of crops and lack of mobility caused by mudslides which left many roads and bridges washed out. Companies will quickly hire someone else when employees cannot get to their jobs.”
Convoy of Hope currently has more than 5,400 children enrolled in its feeding initiative in El Salvador. In response to this disaster Convoy of Hope has shipped two additional 20-ton containers to the country, and our workers on the ground and in-country partners will continue to address ongoing needs created by this disaster.
This fall Convoy of Hope anticipates that thousands of businesses, civic groups, churches and individuals will participate in the organization’s One Day to Feed the World campaign, which asks donors to give one day of their annual wages to help the world’s poor and suffering.
“One Day to Feed the World is unique because it doesn’t ask everyone to give the same amount, it only asks that everyone sacrifices the same,” says Jeff Swaim, a director at Convoy of Hope. “That’s important because no matter if a person is an hourly worker or a CEO, he or she can play a crucial role in helping those who are impoverished and suffering.”
Watch a video and learn more about One Day To Feed The World here.
Convoy of Hope feeds more than 100,000 children in seven countries, holds dozens of community outreaches in impoverished communities each year, responds to domestic and international disasters, and resources like-minded partners.
“One Day to Feed the World allows ordinary people to reach around the world and do extraordinary things in the lives of those who are suffering,” adds Swaim.
The death toll caused by flooding and mudslides in Central America and Mexico has climbed to more than 100 people, and at least 1 million are suffering the effects of the disaster.
Workers with Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiative in El Salvador report that flooding has damaged 70 percent of that country’s crops.
“The consequences of this disaster will be long-lasting,” says Nick Wiersma, a Convoy of Hope disaster responder. “Many roads are impassable, preventing people from getting to their jobs. This creates a ripple effect leaving them with no money to buy food and water or repair their damaged homes.”
Convoy of Hope’s in-country workers in El Salvador began distributing food and supplies to desperate families as soon as the disaster began to unfold. Disaster responders from Convoy of Hope’s World Distribution Center in Springfield, Mo., have now joined these in-country workers to help with the distribution.
They are distributing and demonstrating the use of water filters in communities where the water supply has been contaminated. Some areas reported they had been without clean drinking water for two weeks.
Convoy of Hope disaster responder Ryan Grabill trains local groups to install water filtration units.
In addition to the supplies already being distributed, Convoy of Hope is readying two shipping containers of items such as tents, canned goods, water purification sachets, diapers, cleaning supplies and paper products.
Convoy of Hope disaster responders are also communicating with partners in Guatemala and Mexico to assess how the organization can help victims of the disaster in those countries.
You can help Convoy of Hope make a difference in places like El Salvador.
Bryan Burr, Convoy of Hope’s field representative in Kenya, explains how he is working with Convoy of Hope to make a difference in East Africa.
As the drought in East Africa continues its onslaught, hundreds of thousands of children and families are still in peril. Your gift today can provide relief for those who are suffering.
Convoy of Hope is actively seeking businesses, churches and civic organizations to combat world hunger in a tangible way by sponsoring food-packing events at its World Distribution Center in Springfield, Mo.
On a recent Tuesday, Springfield-based Therapy Support Inc., became the first to support this new initiative by recruiting 44 of its employees to help package the beans and rice it purchased for Convoy of Hope’s feeding initiatives.
“We believe Therapy Support is the first of many local businesses that will view Convoy of Hope as an ideal way to promote team-building among their employees while providing tangible help for hungry people around the world,” says Jeff Roman, corporate relations director for Convoy of Hope.
Convoy of Hope is currently feeding more than 100,000 children in seven countries. The meals packed by Therapy Support volunteers are bound for Convoy of Hope’s feeding initiatives in Central America and the Philippines.
For more information regarding this initiative contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Please take a couple minutes to view this video and learn how Convoy of Hope and the National Breast Cancer Foundation are working together to keep Mothers, Daughters and sisters “in the picture.”
Right-click the download button and choose “save link as” to download.
Agricultural initiatives have long been a component of Convoy of Hope’s feeding initiatives, but with the recent hiring of Jason Streubel, who holds a doctorate in soil science, Convoy of Hope can now provide underdeveloped communities with greater expertise when implementing sustainability projects.
Already, Dr. Streubel is working with leaders of the agricultural community in Haiti to establish a market for locally grown rice.
“I see the potential for Haitian farmers to supply much of the food needed for Convoy of Hope’s feeding initiatives in schools and orphanages there,” says Streubel. “Our goal is to help Haitians achieve greater food security.”
Help Convoy of Hope continue its work in Haiti and around the world.
Streubel will help Haitians farmers increase crop yields and discover possible revenue streams and efficient uses for rice hulls, normally considered a waste product in rice production.
Jason Streubel meets with leaders of Haiti’s rice industry.
Streubel is working with 300 farmers who currently cultivate nearly 750 acres within an hour of Port-au-Prince. Through communications with the farmers, Streubel learned that 10 times that amount of arable land exists, which farmers are willing to cultivate if market demand can be created for the crops.
Watch this moving video and use the button below to help save lives.
Beginning in 2012, Convoy of Hope will partner with the National Breast Cancer Foundation by offering early-detection screenings and breast health education services to nearly 100,000 women during Convoy of Hope’s upcoming 50-state-outreach tour.
“We’re incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring these valuable and needed services to the female guests at our community outreaches,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “The leaders at the National Breast Cancer Foundation share our values of cherishing life and honoring people. What they stand for, as well as what they do, makes National Breast Cancer Foundation an organization that stands out.”
In the United States, breast cancer affects one in every eight women. But with early detection, the survival rate exceeds 98 percent. Many families who attend Convoy of Hope’s community outreaches lack preventative medical care.
“We are hopeful that by offering free screenings at our outreaches we will help save lives and let people know that Convoy of Hope and its tens of thousands of partners and volunteers value women and their roles in families and communities throughout the nation,” adds Donaldson.
As the national spotlight focuses on breast cancer awareness in the month of October, Convoy of Hope is asking its friends to support the partnership with NBCF and Convoy of Hope by giving a generous gift to our Global Outreach fund to help fund the upcoming 50-state-outreach tour, where thousands of women will receive free early-detection screenings.
More details and opportunities for engagement can be found at nbcf.org.
Recently, members from Convoy of Hope’s disaster response team were in Northern Kenya assisting Bryan Burr, field director in Kenya, as he distributed food to families suffering from the drought and famine that has crippled parts of East Africa.
It is estimated that more than 30,000 people have died in the region. The above video shows a portion of the work Convoy of Hope is doing to combat hunger and bring help and hope to those in need.
Click here to donate directly to Convoy of Hope’s efforts in East Africa.
Convoy of Hope marked a milestone in September when it surpassed more than 100,000 children enrolled in its feeding initiatives.
Learn more about Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiatives.
“On behalf of the children who are receiving much needed help in the way of food and pure drinking water, I want to thank all the individual contributors, churches, and corporations that have made this possible,” says Hal Donaldson, founder and president of Convoy of Hope. “This is truly a team effort that has resulted in saving the lives of children and giving them a future.
“We are committed to continuing to meet the needs of these children and hope that we will have the resources in the future to expand the program to serve thousands more,” adds Donaldson.
Click here to help Convoy of Hope continue to meet unmet needs around the world.
Convoy of Hope currently provides life-sustaining meals for children in seven countries: Haiti, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, Nicaragua and the Philippines.
From Sept. 25—Oct. 9, 2011, more than one dozen cyclists will ride in Venture Expedition’s “Present: Hope Tour” to benefit Convoy of Hope. The goal of the two-week cycling adventure is to raise $100,000 for Convoy of Hope’s disaster response efforts so that disaster survivors in places like Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joplin, Mo., know they have not been forgotten.
Join these cyclists in bringing hope to families stricken by disaster by donating here.
Cyclists will depart on Sunday, Sept. 25, to begin their 766-mile journey through Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. The tour will culminate at the Catalyst conference in Atlanta, Ga.
Catalyst, a partner in the Hope Tour, is an annual conference designed to empower young leaders to be change agents in their communities.
During the tour participants will spend a day helping tornado victims and will stop in communities en route, challenging people to give sacrificially as they sacrifice physically.
Donors can actually match each mile the team rides with a donation.
“We are excited about our partnership with Venture Expeditions and Catalyst,” says Jeff Nene, senior director of public relations for Convoy of Hope. “The Present: Hope Tour will provide cyclists with a unique opportunity to help Convoy of Hope continue our recovery efforts in these tornado-ravaged communities. We appreciate their passion to continue to help our friends and neighbors who are still working to rebuild their homes and lives following disaster.”
Within a week of responding to widespread flooding caused by Hurricane Irene in Vermont and New York, Convoy of Hope disaster responders and aid were deployed to Texas where wildfires destroyed more than 1,800 homes.
Already, Convoy of Hope has sent two tractor-trailer loads of water, energy drinks, and cleaning and hygiene supplies to help people in Bastrop and Waller Counties.
“This year has been a very busy year for Convoy of Hope as we have responded to disasters in the United States and throughout the world,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “We are thankful for our faithful friends who are supporting us in helping those in need.”
Click here to help Convoy of Hope continue to respond to urgent needs around the world.
Surrounded by a small cluster of friends in Itasca, Minn., Rich Dixon expressed his appreciation to supporters and completed a brief interview with a local reporter.
Then the 60-year-old paraplegic began the first leg of a 1500-mile hand cycle journey to New Orleans to raise money for Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiatives.
Learn how easy it is to make a donation for each mile of Rich’s ride.
Already, donors have given more than $6,200 in honor of Rich’s Ride, which Dixon estimates will take eight weeks. Convoy of Hope has secured a matching pledge that will allow every dollar received to be doubled to help more children.
“Imagine what would happen if all of us decided to tackle world hunger,” says Dixon. “What if we all spent time during the next eight weeks spreading the word about this opportunity to feed hungry children around the world? I don’t imagine that we’d end childhood hunger. But together, we’d make a significant difference.”
Help Rich make each mile count for kids.
During the route Dixon will share with church, school and civic audiences about Convoy of Hope’s mission, using his own story to illustrate that giving people hope can change what they believe is possible. His wife, Becky, and service dog, Monte, will accompany him on the trip.
This report was filed on Thursday, September 8, 2011 from Kenya by Kirk Noonan, Convoy of Hope’s senior director of communications.
As Kenyans and Somali refugees wait for rain, a Convoy of Hope disaster response team, led by in-country director Bryan Burr, is rushing food and supplies to communities devastated by the famine in the Horn of Africa.
“People are waiting for rain,” says Chris Dudley, Convoy of Hope’s director of cultural services. “The ground is dry and dusty, riverbeds are dry as a bone, grasslands are withered and dead livestock can be seen on the sides of roads.”
The drought and famine have proved to be a lethal mix for humans too in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. Already, upwards of 30,000 people have died.
Click here to give to Convoy of Hope’s work all around the world.
“Convoy of Hope’s strategy is to reach communities in Kenya who have slipped through the cracks and are not receiving aid,” adds Dudley. “In doing so, we are being strategic in our work so that we can build long-term sustainability by making inroads into communities and by making connections with our in-country partners.”
Already, Convoy of Hope has brought thousands of pounds of food to desperate families in Sombo, Didagalgal, Olgumi and Olontoko. In the coming days, the team will take enough food to feed an entire community, known as Kinna, for two weeks.
“Every community we have reached is very thankful for the help,” says Dudley. “Even though the media has not adequately covered this disaster Convoy of Hope will continue to help the communities that have slipped through the cracks.”
KY3, Springfield, Missouri’s local NBC affiliate recently made a call for donations on behalf of Convoy of Hope. Here is an excerpt from the story on their website and a video of the television news segment.
“Springfield, Mo—Convoy of Hope is having quite the year responding to several disasters. Workers are still helping in Japan and even Haiti. Now the group has made a long term commitment to Joplin.
The Convoy of Hope warehouse is about as big as six football fields. While donations are up, it does not meet the demand.
Crews are packing up items to send all across the world. This year, crews are working non-stop.
Workers say this year is especially hard because one of the biggest disasters hits home. While it’s easier to respond because Joplin is close, leaders say they cannot help but wear their hearts on their sleeves.”
Read the rest of the story ky3.com
Two Convoy of Hope disaster response team members recently traveled to Kenya to help expedite the distribution of inbound food shipments to desperate children and families.
In addition to the soy protein meals already being distributed, Convoy of Hope has purchased 12 tons of a highly nutritious porridge meal made from rice bran. This porridge is ideal for severely malnourished people whose bodies cannot handle beans and rice.
You can give to the ongoing work of Convoy of Hope in Africa and around the world here.
The Convoy of Hope disaster assessment team, who worked its way north along Hurricane Irene’s path recently, is now responding to significant flood damage in the New England states.
A Convoy of Hope tractor-trailer containing 40,000 pounds of water, ready-to-eat meals, flood buckets, paper products and cleaning supplies is being distributed to flood victims in Wilmington, Vt., and nearby towns.
Help Convoy of Hope respond to needs in the U.S. and around the world.
“There are lots of needs,” says Paul Coroleuski, disaster response field services director for Convoy of Hope. “Some communities have seen many of their homes washed from their foundations by rushing floodwaters.”
Two tractor-trailers full of relief supplies have also been sent to New York to serve residents affected by flooding in communities around Albany and Cobleskill.
“While our work continues in Joplin and Japan,” says Jeff Nene, senior director of public relations, “we are also at work in the states affected by flooding from Hurricane Irene. We could not do what we do with the support of our friends.”
As Hurricane Irene was making landfall on the Eastern Seaboard last weekend, Convoy of Hope assessment teams were dispatched to the area.
“Our teams made requests for cleaning supplies, flood buckets and paper supplies. Such items will be the best help to families in need,” says Kary Kingsland, senior vice president of Global Initiatives for Convoy of Hope. “Making correct assessments is key to our operations as we always want to be sure to provide the right supplies at the right time.”
To make a secure online donation click here.
In the coming days, Convoy of Hope and its network of local churches, organizations and partners will distribute supplies to those in need.
“Our goal is to be there, ready to help at exactly the moment victims of Irene need us the most,” says Kingsland.
Though Irene did not impact the East Coast as severely as many experts predicted, it did wreak havoc in several states, killed at least a dozen people and caused billions of dollars in damage.
“We’re thankful there wasn’t more loss of life,” adds Kingsland. “Though Irene did not live up to expectations there are many families—many whom are the poorest of the poor—who need assistance. We will be there for as many families as possible.”
To make a secure online donation click here.
Convoy of Hope has deployed members of its disaster response team to North Carolina as Hurricane Irene bears down on the East Coast as a Category 2 storm. Disaster response team members will work with the local Emergency Operations Center and rendezvous at the state’s pre-staging location.
Two tractor-trailers loaded with water, ready-to-eat meals and equipment will soon leave the Convoy of Hope warehouse bound for North Carolina. Disaster response personnel will work with local organizations and volunteers to distribute supplies where they are most needed.
“Convoy of Hope strives to maintain the ability to respond quickly and effectively to disasters,” says Jeff Nene, senior director - public relations for Convoy of Hope. “Because of our logistical expertise, partners and strong relationships with government agencies and local organizations we can quickly get help to those who need it.”
After being orphaned a few years ago by a hurricane surge that washed away his parents, Joseph ended up on living on the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. To earn money for food he offered to wash car windows. When the hunger pains became too intense, he stole.
Then one day almost two years ago Joseph offered to wash Julie’s windows, unaware that the encounter would dramatically change his life. Julie is the director of one of Convoy of Hope’s partner orphanages in Haiti.
When Julie learned Joseph’s circumstances she invited him to live at the orphanage. Today, Joseph, 16, eats regular meals provided by Convoy of Hope. He is also receiving an education and helping to care for the younger children at the orphanage.
Click here to help Convoy of Hope rescue more children like Joseph.
In the future Joseph hopes to be a music pastor. “I love to play the drums in our worship band,” he says.
The scars on Joseph’s face attest that his life has not been easy, but he says, “I would not change anything. God has a purpose for everything, and I would not change His plan.”
Recently, more than 10,000 fans supported Convoy of Hope in Joplin, Mo., by gathering in the tornado-ravaged city to hear the likes of Mercy Me, Hawk Nelson, Mandisa, Stars Go Dim and others.
“The concert raised tens of thousands of dollars for our ongoing work in Joplin and around the world,” says Jeff Roman, corporate relations director for Convoy of Hope, which is headquartered in Springfield, Mo. “We are so grateful to the artists and K-Love Christian Radio Network—all of them were tremendous supporters of the event.”
Proceeds from ticket sales were given to Convoy of Hope and another relief organization. In collaboration with other organizations, Convoy of Hope continues to operate its compassion center in Joplin. Since the tornado struck on May 22, Convoy of Hope has shipped dozens of loads of relief and recovery supplies and coordinated the efforts of more than 2,200 volunteers to help affected residents.
“Organizations, businesses and people from around the nation gave generously to Convoy of Hope,” adds Roman. “We are honored to be so trusted as to help our neighbors in their time of need.”
Bryan Burr, field director for Convoy of Hope in Kenya, confirms reports that the crisis caused by the drought, famine and war is getting worse by the day. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighboring countries have flooded into Kenya. Already, nearly 30,000 children have died.
Click here to help Convoy of Hope save lives.
“The situation is dire and will be long lasting,” says Burr. “We need help and we need it fast.”
Convoy of Hope began working in Kenya eight years ago. There, we regularly feed children and provide sustainability tools and education to communities. To facilitate this work, Convoy of Hope has a warehouse, personnel, vehicles, food and supplies in Kenya.
We have wired funds to Burr’s team to purchase more food and supplies in country. They have been fast at work distributing it to Somali refugees and to Kenyans who are also reeling because of the lack of food and water.
In addition, a shipping container with 120,000 meals will soon clear customs in Kenya. Several more containers filled with life-sustaining food are in Convoy of Hope’s logistics pipeline that ends in the hands of refugees and others who are suffering.
Convoy of Hope is committed to helping those in need for the long haul.
When Mitzi Willis’ brother asked her to accompany him on a Convoy of Hope trip to Haiti last year, Willis agreed to go without knowing exactly why. A visit to Convoy of Hope’s warehouse there supplied her answer.
In the past six years Willis and her family have participated in several food-packing events where they bagged, sealed and boxed nonperishable meals for undernourished people. Willis never knew the final destination of any of these meals, but that day in the warehouse she discovered boxes that she helped pack in her hometown of Raleigh, N.C.
“Seeing those boxes and later watching children eat food that my children and I packed, the service project came full circle for me,” says Willis. “Convoy of Hope is getting the food to hungry people who need it most.”
Click here to help Convoy of Hope get help to where it is needed most.
At a recent food-packing event in Phoenix, Ariz., dozens of Convoy of Hope volunteers packaged more than 26,000 pounds of beans. Just like the meals Willis helped pack, these beans will soon travel through Convoy of Hope’s logistics pipeline to help hungry children and families.
In response to the ongoing drought threatening as many as 12 million people in eastern Africa, Convoy of Hope has distributed more than 9,000 meals from our warehouse in Kenya.
Click here to give to Convoy of Hope’s efforts around the world.
In Somalia, drought conditions combined with civil conflict have caused severe famine. USAID estimates more than 29,000 children under five have died in the last 90 days in southern Somalia. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis are pouring over the borders into neighboring countries seeking relief and straining already scarce resources in those countries.
“We’ve heard of families traveling 100 miles through the desert to get to water and food,” says Bryan Burr, Convoy of Hope’s field director in Kenya. “Some parents have had to bury their children along the way because the grueling trek was too much for their starving bodies.”
Help Convoy of Hope fulfill its driving passion to feed the world by making an online donation.
Wells dug by Convoy of Hope’s partners are pumping 24 hours a day in northeast Kenya, but it is not enough to keep up with demand. Some of the water from these wells is being trucked more than 40 kilometers away into Somalia.
In the coming days, Burr and his team will travel to villages and refugee camps in northeast Kenya to provide further assistance to people at risk of starvation.
Recently, Convoy of Hope benefitted from the fourth annual Heaven Fest concert that brought together more than 100 artists in Loveland, Colo.
Organizers suggested a ticket price of $35 for the all-day event, but concertgoers were invited to pay what they felt it was worth and no one was turned away.
Attendance this year increased to nearly 33,000 people, up from last year’s 27,000. All of the money from ticket sales and parking fees went to organizations that serve the poor, orphaned and exploited.
Click here to donate to Convoy of Hope.
Between performance sets throughout the day, Dave Donaldson, Co-Founder and Government Relations for Convoy of Hope, addressed the audience about Convoy of Hope’s work to provide food, clean water and sustainable development for children and communities around the globe.
“We are so grateful for the dynamic leadership and compassion of the Heaven Fest team,” says Donaldson. “They do a great job organizing this event to benefit thousands of hurting people around the world.”
“Our goal was to raise enough money for Convoy of Hope to provide 460,000 meals for children in Haiti and with this year’s turnout I feel optimistic we reached this goal,” adds Donaldson.
From our warehouse in Nairobi, Kenya, Convoy of Hope is responding to the Somali refugee crisis. An estimated 11 million people are at risk from the drought, and hundreds of thousands of refugees have crossed the border into Northern Kenya, where they are living in refugee camps. Food and water are scarce. Convoy of Hope’s field director in Kenya, Bryan Burr, says the number of refugees living in tent cities is growing by the hour and truckloads of food and water are needed to avoid the spread of disease and loss of life.
Floodwaters in Minot, N.D., have receded but residents there anticipate a lengthy recovery period. FEMA reports 2,200 homes were completely destroyed and more than 4,000 others affected.
Convoy of Hope responded in the floods’ aftermath by sending four tractor-trailer loads of water, food, cleaning supplies and buckets.
“More than 12,000 people have been displaced and Convoy of Hope has played a crucial role in our response,” says John Brady, a pastor in Minot. “Our distribution point was highly visible with easy access. When people saw the Convoy of Hope tent, they knew where to come for help.”
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Minot was already experiencing a housing shortage prior to the flood. Some residents remain in tents as severe winter weather looms.
Brady’s church has become a recovery ministry center housing 30-40 volunteers at a time who stay busy helping residents with cleanup efforts.
“Disaster comes and takes a lot out of us. When the Convoy of Hope truck pulls up, it brings hope,” Brady adds.
About 14,000 guests attended the Convoy of Hope outreach at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. They were served by 2,000 volunteers from more than 50 area churches.
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On the day of the outreach, automobile traffic to Aloha Stadium, where the NFL Pro Bowl is played, was so congested that local authorities requested that the parking lot be closed one hour into the event. Many guests were turned away. Others were forced to park elsewhere and walk to the property. Some slept at the site overnight, while others rode buses from across the island so they could attend the event.
Guests came to receive free groceries, a hot meal, haircuts, medical and dental screenings, job opportunities, family portraits, clothing, backpacks with school supplies, information on community services, entertainment and more. In addition, children were treated to a large carnival of rides and games.
The governor of Hawaii, Neil Abercrombie, was on hand to proclaim July 23 “Convoy of Hope Day” in his state. He praised the efforts of churches, volunteers, businesses, agencies and civic groups.
Local newspapers and television and radio newscasts also covered the outreach. Guests who were interviewed commented about the “love” and “acceptance” they felt from the volunteers. Many shared personal stories of unemployment and hardship, and how the outreach had raised their spirits and provided much needed help.
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On September 12, Rich Dixon will embark on a 1500-mile trike ride to help Convoy of Hope provide nutritious meals for impoverished children around the globe. Rich’s Ride: 1500 miles for Hope will span the U.S. from north to south along the Mississippi River corridor.
Paralyzed below the chest by an accident more than two decades ago, Dixon, 60, will complete the ride on a cycle powered by his hands.
Learn how easy it is to make a donation for each mile of Rich’s ride.
“One minute I was on the ladder and the next thing I knew I was laying on my back looking up at a paramedic,” recalls Dixon of the accident. “I don’t remember anything about the fall.”
Several hours in the emergency room later, the devastating diagnosis came back; the fall had shattered three of Dixon’s vertebrae and damaged his spinal cord. He was 36.
Dixon withdrew into a dark depression after the accident until his friends encouraged him to try a hand cycle. Although he had no interest, he finally relented just “to shut them up.”
“The first time out was horrible,” says Dixon. “I could hardly move it down the block and back.” But over time he developed endurance.
In the summer of 1999 Dixon rode 1,000 miles on the bike trails around his Ft. Collins, Colo., home. When a friend was diagnosed with lung cancer five years later, Dixon rode 1250 miles to raise money for his friend’s medical expenses.
Help Rich make each mile count for kids.
Through Convoy of Hope’s current matching challenge campaign, gifts in honor of Rich’s Ride: 1500 miles for Hope will be matched 100 percent to double their impact to help the poor and suffering.
Dixon expects the ride to take approximately two months and plans to book speaking engagements along the route.
Jerry Carnes, 77, makes his living raising cattle in Diamond, Mo., a few miles east of Joplin.
Joplin’s May 22 tornado deposited debris throughout Carnes’ hayfields, much of it insulation that can be deadly to cattle if consumed. Jerry and his wife, Shirley, had been working long days in sweltering heat to rid their fields of debris so they could harvest the hay to feed their herd.
“After days of labor, we were exhausted,” says Carnes. “In the midst of these trying times [we found] a page from someone’s Bible lying in the grass that read, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’”
That same day 60 Convoy of Hope volunteers showed up at Carnes’ ranch to help with the cleanup, enabling Carnes to bale enough hay to retain all of his cattle.
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“Words fail me to adequately express my profound appreciation for all the volunteers who came… I am overwhelmed,” adds Carnes.
Volunteers have now logged more than 12,000 hours assisting with Convoy of Hope’s response in Joplin.
Since a deadly EF5 tornado struck Joplin, Mo., on May 22, Convoy of Hope has worked tirelessly to bring help and hope to those in need. Now that the relief phase has transitioned to the recovery phase Convoy of Hope has begun its long-term recovery work. Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope, explains what the organization’s work will entail in the coming months.
Q: In the weeks after the EF5 tornado hit Joplin, how did Convoy of Hope respond?
A: Our response was immediate and swift. We had points of distribution up and running in Joplin where we served thousands of people water, ice, food and emergency supplies. We also did mobile distributions throughout the tornado’s swath and were able to take aid directly to families as they tried to salvage what remained of their possessions.
Q: All told, how much actual aid product has been dispatched to Joplin?
A: Since the tornado struck we have dispatched more than 62 loads, which is 2.4 million pounds of product. None of that would have been possible without our supporters who have come alongside us to help those in need.
Q: How important are partnerships with individuals, organizations and companies in the work Convoy of Hope does throughout the world?
A: Every gift an individual, organization or company entrusts us with is vital to our work. It’s been amazing and encouraging to see how people have responded to this disaster. Children have brought buckets of coins they’ve collected to our World Distribution Center. Corporations have donated much-needed products and funds. Families have sacrificed to help. I truly believe we live in a nation full of givers.
Q: How is Convoy of Hope’s presence being felt in Joplin today?
A: We have a site located at 32nd and Rangeline, which is within blocks of where the tornado struck. The site is open eight hours a day, five days a week. Families affected by the tornado can shop at the store free of charge. Besides food, water and hygiene kits, the site offers cleanup materials such as heavy-duty plastic bags, rakes, shovels and much more. The facility will remain open for as long as we deem necessary. We also have teams doing debris removal.
Q: What’s the next step in Joplin?
A: Convoy of Hope is working with FEMA and other partners to assist in the rebuilding efforts. Already, Convoy of Hope work teams have volunteered more than 12,000 hours in Joplin. Our goal going forward will be to help those who need our assistance through volunteers and funding. Our ongoing approach is to be looking for needs to meet that are currently not being met.
Q: What do you say to those who have come alongside Convoy of Hope during this disaster and others?
A: Words could never adequately express our gratitude, but thank you very much! Your help and support have made an incalculable difference in the lives of so many who are suffering. May God bless you and your family for your generosity.
Still looking to help? Click here to find out what you can do.
A July 29 music festival featuring artists Mercy Me, Hawk Nelson, Stars Go Dim, Mandisa and other great bands will benefit the Joplin recovery efforts of Convoy of Hope and Samaritan’s Purse. The concert will be held at Landreth Park in Joplin, Mo.
Gates will open at 1:00 p.m., with band performances beginning at 2:00 p.m. Those unable to attend the concert may help by donating tickets to storm-impacted individuals through the two benefiting charities. For more information about attending or donating tickets visit restorefest.com.
“We are excited to be a part of this event that will bring so many talented artists together to help the people of Joplin,” says Jeff Roman, corporate relations director for Convoy of Hope. “This music festival will provide thousands of people the opportunity to have fun while supporting a great cause.”
Convoy of Hope tractor-trailers filled with emergency supplies rolled into Joplin hours after a massive EF5 tornado cut a large swath of destruction through the city on May 22.
Since that time, more than 2.4 million pounds of supplies have been transported to Joplin for distribution and volunteers have aided in the removal of thousands of pounds of debris.
Restore Fest is giving Convoy of Hope donors the opportunity to purchase discount tickets by using the special promo code CONVOYGA for general admission or CONVOY for Preferred/VIP. Tickets start at just $8 for all 10 performances and all proceeds benefit the people of Joplin. Tickets can be purchased at restorefest.com.
To learn more about our work in Joplin, read our Q&A with Hal Donaldson, president and founder of Convoy of Hope.
On a recent weekday, workers and volunteers at Convoy of Hope’s compassion center in Joplin, Mo., busily sorted products and restocked shelves with food, cleaning products, personal hygiene supplies, baby items, books and toys.
Throughout the day, a steady stream of families quietly snaked their way with shopping carts through the neatly arranged rows of boxes and shelves, picking up what they needed.
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“This is a good place, … it helps a lot of families,” says storm survivor Verna, as she shopped with her husband. “We appreciate it.”
Verna and her husband Stephen leave Convoy of Hope’s Compassion Center with a full cart.
Joyce, another survivor who came to the compassion center, says her family rode out the storm in a front bedroom closet. The storm damaged the back part of their house and destroyed their car, but Joyce is thankful to be alive.
“We opened our front door after the tornado, and there was a house sitting in the middle of the street” says Joyce. “If I live to be 100, I never want to see anything like this again. My husband has lived here all his life and he still cries as he drives down the street.”
An average of 80 families are served each day.
Three children show off their toy of choice while mom fills her grocery cart.
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Beyond the compassion center, Convoy of Hope volunteer teams are fulfilling requests for help with debris removal. Teams of up to 60 people are completing this task at several homes each day, despite temperatures in the upper 90’s.
Convoy of Hope volunteers remove debris for an elderly woman whose roofless home will be demolished.
So far, Convoy of Hope has transported more than 1.5 million pounds of supplies to help those affected by the storm. Volunteers have donated more than 10,000 man-hours to distribute these supplies and help with debris removal.
The summer has just begun but 1,000 students in Frederick, Md., will be ready for next fall after receiving a backpack filled with school supplies at a recent Convoy of Hope outreach.
Click here to learn more about outreaches.
Students weren’t the only ones helped.
One couple at the family portraits booth emphasized to the professional photographer who took their picture that they really needed a good outcome. In 15 years of marriage, they had never had wedding photos taken, so this one, provided free at a Convoy of Hope outreach, was meant to represent their wedding portrait.
By the end of the day more than 1,800 volunteers from 300 churches and organizations had come together to distribute 18,000 bags of groceries, give nearly 500 haircuts, take more than 400 family portraits, conduct 140 dental screenings and distribute 1,200 pairs of shoes to families in need.
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In addition, 120 interviews had been scheduled with employers who participated in the job fair.
“In Frederick, we connected neighbors with needs with those who have the resources to help meet those needs,” says Ron Showers, global outreach director for Convoy of Hope. “Our honored guests had a great time enjoying the live music, free food and fun at the outreach and many left with a renewed sense of hope.”
More than 5,000 honored guests at a recent Convoy of Hope outreach in Kansas City, Mo., received dental checkups, resume and job placement assistance, free groceries and much more.
Click here to help Convoy of Hope help in America’s communities and the world.
“It was exciting to witness the Kansas City community coming together to help their neighbors in need,” says Darwin Boston, outreach director for Convoy of Hope. “At final count more than 1,700 volunteers from 85 churches and organizations contributed their time and skills to serve others without expecting anything in return.”
One thousand guests received new shoes at the event, most of them opting for the relaxing foot bath offered with each new pair. During this one-on-one time with a volunteer, guests learned about additional services from which they might benefit and were offered the opportunity to pray with the volunteer. After the soak, guests donned new socks and comfortable shoes.
“The family portrait booth was another busy hub of activity throughout the day,” adds Boston. “A portrait means a lot to young families with growing children who may not be able to afford a professional photography sitting.”
This was Kansas City’s second annual Convoy of Hope outreach and organizers are already planning one for 2012. These outreaches unite churches, businesses, and social service agencies to continue providing help and lasting hope to Kansas City residents long after the day of the outreach.
In addition to the Kansas City outreach, and dozens more all across the country this summer, Convoy of Hope continues its work in Joplin, Mo., where tornado victims can shop free of charge for food, cleaning supplies and other items. To date, Convoy of Hope has distributed 1.4 million pounds of aid to families in Joplin.
Want to help with our ongoing work? Click here.
The parking lot at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo., hummed with excitement on a recent Thursday, despite oppressive heat. Thousands of Ozarks’ residents turned out for an event designed to raise money for their neighbors in Joplin who were hit by an EF5 tornado on May 22.
During the daylong event attendees listened to live music, met NASCAR and outdoor celebrities, and ate meals served by local television personalities — all for the price of a donation to Convoy of Hope’s Joplin relief effort.
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“There were many volunteers from Springfield businesses who made this happen, doing everything from selling T-shirts, to passing out food and collecting donations,” says Jeff Roman, corporate relations director for Convoy of Hope. “We are so grateful to Bass Pro Shops, KY3, KSPR, the Ozarks CW, Harter House, Krispy Kreme, the Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper Bottling Company and Johnsonville Brats who helped make this event a success. Their hard work will enable Convoy of Hope to help many people in Joplin who are working to rebuild their shattered lives.”
The event raised approximately $300,000 for Convoy of Hope disaster relief, including a generous donation from outdoor clothing and gear company Columbia Sportswear.
Another partnership between Journal Broadcasting Group radio stations in Springfield and Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) netted more than $71,000 for Convoy of Hope’s Joplin relief effort.
In addition to monetary donations, volunteers at OTC’s Springfield campus collected nine tractor-trailer loads of relief supplies that have been transported to Joplin for distribution.
“We have seen residents of southwest Missouri give generously over the years when disasters happen around the world,” says Jeff Nene, senior director of public relations for Convoy of Hope. “It is encouraging to see this outpouring of generosity extended to our neighbors here in the Ozarks who have stood by us so faithfully.”
So far, Convoy of Hope has shipped more than 600,000 pounds of relief and recovery supplies to Joplin. Volunteers have donated more than 8,500 man-hours to help distribute those supplies to individuals and families affected by the storm.
As Convoy of Hope transitions from the response stage to the recovery stage in Joplin, all of the products remaining to be distributed have been relocated to a walk-in facility on property donated for this use by Pyramid Foods, parent company to a chain of 48 grocery stores in the Midwest.
Residents affected by the tornado may receive relief supplies, and other items they need such as rakes, shovels, brooms, work gloves, quality trash bags and trash cans.
Recently more than 2,000 honored guests received free groceries, medical screenings and vaccines, job placement assistance, haircuts, family portraits and prayer from caring volunteers at the third annual Convoy of Hope outreach in Roswell, Ga.
“I lost my job 18 months ago,” says Martin, a guest from Roswell. “Money is tight and we’re almost without hope. After seeing my kids with new hair cuts, getting vaccines and I have a job application in hand; I am feeling a new hope.”
Help people like Martin with Convoy of Hope.
Martin could have been speaking for many of those in attendance.
“I don’t want anyone’s leftovers or handouts,” says Krystelle, also from Roswell. “I just need someone who can believe in me.”
She pauses and points to the area where members from local churches offered to pray for guests. “I know now that God cares,” she says. “He got me these groceries.”
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According to Dan Clark, outreach director, Convoy of Hope aims to create a movement that compels people to compassion. “We saw that happen in Roswell,” he says.
This year, at Convoy of Hope’s community outreaches across America, tens of thousands of volunteers will engage in a compassionate response to the needs of their neighbors.
More information about volunteering with Convoy of Hope.
Earlier this week survivors of Joplin’s EF5 tornado were visited by team members of the Springfield Cardinals — the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
While in Joplin with Convoy of Hope major league prospects Zack Cox, Ryan Jackson and Matt Adams encouraged families, shook hands, signed autographs and distributed Cardinal hats and coins in devastated neighborhoods.
(From left) Ryan Jackson, Zack Cox and Matt Adams survey a portion of the worst hit area in Joplin, Mo.
“The help we have received has been overwhelming,” Amy, a mother of two who lost her home, told the players as they stood in the ruins of her home. “We are thankful.”
To help Convoy of Hope with its relief and recovery work in Joplin the St. Louis and Springfield Cardinals donated $25,000 to the humanitarian relief organization on Wednesday night prior to the St. Louis Cardinals’ game against the World Champion San Francisco Giants. In addition, the Springfield Cardinals collected donations from fans at a recent home stand.
“It is times like these that we need to come together as a community,” said Matt Gifford, vice president and general manager of the Springfield Cardinals. “These are our friends and our neighbors.”
(From left) Joplin Homeowner Amy, Matt Gifford, Ryan Jackson, Matt Adams and Zack Cox stand in the ruins of Amy’s home.
Hundreds of Convoy of Hope volunteers gathered in Joplin, Mo., this past Memorial Day weekend to help distribute food, water and other relief supplies to victims of the May 22 tornado that leveled much of the city.
Fifty thousand people live within the city limits of Joplin, but more than 200,000 work, shop and attend college in the city on a daily basis.
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“The emotional and economic toll on this region is enormous,” says Jeff Nene, senior director of public relations for Convoy of Hope, “We are so grateful for our partners that are standing with us to help the residents of Joplin in their greatest hour of need.”
NASCAR racer Jamie McMurray, whose car bore the Convoy of Hope logo in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C., grew up in Joplin and is bracing for an emotional return this Thursday to survey the damage and increase awareness of the tremendous amount of need.
FEMA is reporting that of the 7,105 single homes it surveyed, more than 6,200 were destroyed. McMurray’s childhood home was among them.
NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray’s childhood home in Joplin, Mo.
McMurray, his racing sponsors, and also Michael Waltrip Racing teams are hosting monetary and product collections in Springfield and the Kansas City area this week for Convoy of Hope to help tornado victims.
So far, more than 20 tractor-trailers of relief supplies have been delivered to Joplin and Convoy of Hope’s response is far from over. Convoy of Hope is monitoring evolving product needs as survivors begin to transition to debris removal and cleanup.
Click here to help Convoy of Hope meet needs in Joplin and around the world.
If you are interested in donating items please contact Convoy of Hope prior to sending the items to its World Distribution Center in Springfield or to Joplin. Items currently needed are new shovels, rakes, cleaning products, buckets and facemasks.
In an effort to bring attention to Convoy of Hope’s ongoing relief efforts in tornado-stricken Joplin, Mo., the owners of the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing No. 1, Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine Chevrolet car will put Convoy of Hope’s logo on its car for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race. The car will be driven by Sprint Cup driver Jamie McMurray, who is from Joplin.
McMurray and the Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine extended family are working with Convoy of Hope to help families affected by the EF5 tornado in Joplin on Sunday.
“My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to everyone who has been affected by this disaster in Joplin,” said McMurray. “I am thrilled that we have been able to partner with Convoy of Hope and Bass Pro Shops this weekend. Hopefully we can raise awareness for a great organization that has been on the ground since the first minute to offer assistance in the community. I hope that all NASCAR fans that are able to offer support will consider a donation to Convoy of Hope.”
Make a secure online donation today.
As of Friday, Convoy of Hope has delivered nearly 500,000 pounds of food, water and supplies to victims of Joplin’s tornado.
“Convoy of Hope is very excited about the partnership with Jamie McMurray and Bass Pro Shops,” said Jeff Nene, senior director of public relations for Convoy of Hope. “It will enable us to provide a large quantity of food and supplies to those in need.”
Those wishing to make a contribution to the Joplin Tornado Relief efforts can make a secure online contribution here
Raymond heard the tornado sirens, but like many people living in the Midwest who hear them often, he wasn’t overly concerned.
“Me and my mother went to Wal-Mart but as soon as we got into the building the manager locked the door and told us to go to the back,” says Raymond. “We made it back there and about that time I felt my ears start popping from the pressure. I’ve already been through the Greensburg (Kansas) tornado and a few hurricanes so I knew that means it was getting close.”
Raymond who was treated for a bruised lung and broken ribs stands to have his photo taken.
“The building started shaking and I covered my mother,” he adds, “I watched the roof get pulled off and a beam came down on me. After the wind stopped, I don’t know how I lifted it off of me.”
When Raymond and his mother stumbled out of the rubble, volunteers transported him to a hospital because he was having trouble breathing. From there he was flown to Springfield, treated for a bruised lung and broken ribs and released the next day.
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When the shuttle returning him to Joplin drove onto Missouri Southern State University’s campus, Raymond ran into his sister.
“We’re all alive. We shouldn’t be, but we are. We’ve just got to take slow steps and rebuild. That’s all we can do,” adds Raymond.
His words echo the thoughts of many in Joplin who are trying to put their lives back together. Like so many others, Raymond expressed gratitude for the emergency relief supplies and household items that Convoy of Hope is providing to help him and his family.
“It’s overwhelming,” he says. “People have good hearts.”
As of Friday, Convoy of Hope has delivered nearly 500,000 pounds of food, water and supplies to victims of the Joplin tornado.
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Last Sunday Connila, 74, was surfing the Internet in her ground-floor apartment in Joplin, Mo., when her neighbor from upstairs banged on her door. When she opened the door her neighbor told her a tornado was bearing down on their complex. The two of them — and his 10-year-old son — rushed into an interior bathroom and hid in the bathtub.
“Within seconds everything was gone,” she says. “All that was left was the bathtub and about a foot of tile. But none of us had a scratch.”
Click here to help people like Connila.
Other neighbors were not as fortunate. Several died or are unaccounted for. Today, Connila is living in the sanctuary of IgniteChurch.tv, which opened its doors as a shelter to the community in the hours after the storm.
“This is our city, this is what we’re here for,” says Shane Munn, a pastor at the church, noting that the church has not set any timelines as to when it will stop acting as a shelter. “We’ll provide for as long as we can.”
In the church’s parking lot a long line of pickups snakes between rows of cars. Dozens of volunteers load the pickups with Convoy of Hope’s ice, water and emergency supplies. Springfield-based Bass Pro Shops donated camping stoves, sleeping bags, batteries, flashlights and more. T-Mobile donated free call stations, which will enable survivors to contact friends and family members. The St. Louis and Springfield Cardinals have also pledged $25,000 for the relief effort.
“We want to thank all the corporations that are donating truckloads of supplies and everyone making financial contributions,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “That is what is keeping our semi-trucks rolling and ensuring that the people of Joplin receive the help they need to get through this traumatic episode.”
Volunteers are helping make that happen too.
Jenny, a 23-year-old from Arizona who was raised in Joplin, drove through the night to her hometown after hearing about the EF5 tornado on Sunday.
“I took a few weeks off work to help out anyway I can,” says Jenny. “Convoy of Hope is so amazing and organized. We are so thankful.”
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The sentiment was shared by those helped too. Deep in a neighborhood pounded by the tornado Gina, a homeowner, was overwhelmed with emotion as Convoy of Hope team members wheeled a cooler full of supplies and energy drinks up her driveway.
“This is great,” she says, taking a deep breath to stem tears. “I appreciate it.”
Gina describes how she and her colleagues rode out the storm in a windowless room at St. John’s Regional Health Center, which sustained heavy damage.
“I could hear the tornado coming and could even taste the debris that was in the air,” she says. “After it passed we opened the door to the room and everything looked different.”
Halls and waiting rooms were darkened, she recalls. Floors were strewn with debris and injured people were crying out for help. After helping out at the hospital Gina began walking home after discovering her car had been pancaked by another car during the storm.
A few miles down the road from Gina’s home is a Faith Assembly of God, which sits on the very edge of the tornado’s swath. Though the church was nearly destroyed, dozens of volunteers from the church unload pallets of supplies or counsel and pray with survivors or grill burgers and hot dogs for survivors and those who have descended on Joplin to help.
“If this church was 50 yards farther down the road there would’ve been 50 more people killed,” says a building contractor.
The 50 people the contractor speaks of were mostly members of the youth group who had gathered at the church to prep for a pie auction and youth service last Sunday night. As the tornado hit, the teens and their leaders gathered in an interior hallway.
“It was scary, but there were so many people praying I felt instantly that everything was going to be alright,” says Will Craig, who was helping set up.
On this day, throughout the swath that the tornado cut — which is estimated to be nearly one mile wide in some spots and several miles long — chainsaw crews cut limbs and remove debris. Nearby, search and rescue workers sift through the rubble looking for survivors while children help their parents salvage mementos from what is left of their homes.
The view from within the swath is surreal. Steel buildings are twisted like straws, cars and trucks resemble soda cans twisted into oblivion, power-poles and fence posts are blown over as if made of rubber. Trees have either toppled over or are stripped bare of leaves and bark. Boards stick precariously out of the sides of walls and the dank smell of wet wood hangs in the air.
Donaldson meets a young homeless family in a shelter. He tells the family that everything is going to be all right. The twenty-something father says, “It can’t get much worse.”
For those who lost loved ones, homes, possessions and jobs the young father’s words are spot on. But as Connila said earlier, “I’ve never had anything bad happen to me that hasn’t turned to good.”
In Joplin, the groundswell of support, generosity, volunteerism and community is palpable … and also a sign that good can come from a terrible situation.
Convoy of Hope continues to expand its relief efforts in Joplin, Mo., distributing tens of thousands of pounds of food, water and supplies in devastated neighborhoods.
“The outpouring of support has been phenomenal,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “Corporations, individuals, churches and civic organizations have joined the effort to help victims of this disaster.”
Springfield-based Bass Pro Shops provided Convoy of Hope with food, camp stoves, lanterns, tents, cots, propane, blankets and water. T-Mobile donated free call stations, which will enable survivors to contact friends and family members. The St. Louis and Springfield Cardinals have also pledged $25,000 for the relief effort.
You can be a part of our Disaster Response by donating online.
“We want to thank all the corporations that are donating truckloads of supplies and everyone making financial contributions,” says Donaldson. “That is what is keeping our semi-trucks rolling and ensuring that the people of Joplin receive the help they need to get through this traumatic episode.”
“Because our distribution center is a short distance from the disaster, we intend to be in Joplin for a long time to come,” says Donaldson.
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A caravan of Convoy of Hope vehicles have been driving to and from Joplin, Mo. since the morning after the storm.
Many that have seen the damage firsthand are saying that it looks like a bomb went off.
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Many lost their homes, their vehicles and nearly all of their belongings.
A man hoists what looks like a coffee table into a truck.
Convoy of Hope disaster team members Paul Coroleuski (left) and Steve Irwin (right) discuss the teams’ response.
Lightning and thunder were unwelcome guests as tornado survivors and first responders scavenged the debris.
Corporate relationships allow Convoy of Hope to get the right product to the right places.
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First responder crews from all across the Midwest are pitching in to help in Joplin, Mo.
Convoy of Hope’s first mobile distribution teams based at Faith Assembly of God in Joplin, Mo.
